A summer-long library event that has activated an entire community, created proud library users, and even sparked a marriage, the Summer Game is everywhere you look in Ann Arbor, running from the last day of school in June through the end of August. Playable across various community points from school buses to public parks, museums, storefronts, and the library’s catalog, the Summer Game is played by people of all ages and has become a community tradition since 2011.
Programming Librarian spoke with Emily Murphy, librarian at AADL and one of the minds behind the game. A Summer Game player for years before joining AADL, Murphy was well-equipped to handle Summer Game logistics when she landed the role four years ago. Murphy and the Summer Game team’s creativity and interpersonal skills are necessary for the game’s success. She talked to us about how the game works across all its variations and how its scalability enables other libraries to replicate it.
How the game works
AADL’s Summer Game is a points-based event with three ways to play: the summer reading game (classic read-ten-books, get-a-prize), explorer codes (found at physical locations across the city), and online codes (hidden in AADL’s online catalog or website). The multiple entry points make it accessible to all ages and interests.
There’s a leaderboard, but it isn’t heavily promoted. Some players aim to crack the top ten, but the library doesn’t emphasize competition. There’s no one true winner of Summer Game. Most players simply want to “scratch the puzzle-solving itch,” Murphy says.
The summer reading component remains central as the game originated from a desire to amplify this traditional reading challenge; some participants choose to play only that way. Explorer and online codes, however, immerse players both physically and virtually in Ann Arbor and across all AADL branches. Many players engage in all three modes, though participation at any level is encouraged.
Players earn points by entering codes found throughout the challenges, which can be redeemed for prizes in an online shop. Badges, a hugely popular feature, unlock additional points and are released as themed puzzle challenges every Friday at noon. Many are solved using the library’s digital catalog.
Explorer codes are the most community-focused elements. They appear on thousands of lawn signs, in shop windows, in museums, at library events, anywhere out in the community. Lawn codes became especially meaningful during the pandemic, helping neighbors connect, and they continue to build community today.
Badges can also be earned through partner locations. The Parks and Recreation Department, for example, had a code on its Adopt-a-Park page.
“We aren’t putting up new signs for codes in parks or museums,” Murphy says. “But the clues and codes align with what is already there, like a word on a plaque or part of a mural. We have to ask ourselves: what cool things in the community have words that we can use for scavenger hunts?”
AADL staff also conduct school visits in May to promote summer library programs. Each Ann Arbor public school gets its own unique code for students to kick off gameplay.
How is this even put together?
Planning for an event that reached 17,000 players in 2025, and continues to grow, begins early. When I spoke to Murphy in mid-February, she was already writing puzzles and creating challenges for the summer.
A core team of ten staff members manages game content and makes badges. Two members of the team, including Murphy, are given the title of “co-producer and run game logistics. As summer approaches, Murphy says, “it becomes a whole library thing.”
Front-facing staff are encouraged to play so they can answer questions. Maintenance staff hang banners and manage increased foot traffic. Marketing handles artwork, social media, and countdown promotion. And three in-house web developers ensure the website can handle increased traffic, build playable online puzzles, and maintain the online prize shop.
Timing is critical; some elements can’t be finalized too early. Catalog badges, for example, can’t be prepared in February because the catalog will change by June. These badges are dependent on catalog search results remaining accurate throughout the summer.
“We’ve promised that if a player makes the correct catalog search, the item will appear in the first ten results,” Murphy says. “We have to keep up with any catalog and search result changes so badges still work.”
Friday badge drops happen precisely at noon. “If we’re late,” Murphy says, “players are asking at 12:01 where the badges are. It’s delightful, but it requires a lot of planning.”
