Allendale County library launches 2026 summer learning challenge

Allendale County children will have a free way to keep learning after school lets out when the Allendale Hampton Jasper Regional Library System opens its 2026 Summer Learning Challenge on June 1. The program runs through July 31 and is designed to give families structured reading and activity time during the long summer break, with registration opening June 1 at any AHJ Regional Library location.

Parents and students in Allendale can sign up at the Allendale County Library, while AHJ also takes registrations at the Estill Public Library, Hampton County Library, Hardeeville Community Library and Pratt Memorial Library. The regional system says it serves Allendale, Hampton and Jasper counties, operates five library locations and one bookmobile, and is using Beanstack again to track reading participation. Families that created an account last year can log back in on June 1 and pick up where they left off.

AHJ’s calendar puts an early spotlight on the season with Summer Learning Kick Off: Dino Discovery scheduled for June 1. The broader 2026 lineup also includes storytimes, crafting and science-themed programs, giving children options that go beyond reading alone. For working parents and caregivers, the challenge offers a built-in routine: a free local program that can fill part of the summer gap with library-based activities instead of unstructured screen time.

The system has made summer reading part of its identity. In a 2025 director’s note, AHJ Regional Library Director Sena Loyd said the summer reading program launched on June 1, 2025, with books, prizes and events across all three counties, and she tied the effort to community input on hours, programs and spaces. AHJ now describes itself as the first regional library system in South Carolina and says it is marking 85 years of service, a milestone that underscores how long the library has served children, parents and older residents across the region.

For Allendale families, the main access point is simple: start at any AHJ branch, register beginning June 1 and use Beanstack to follow the challenge through July 31. With no fee listed and locations spread across the tri-county system, the program gives local children a free summer option that combines reading, prizes and scheduled activities close to home.