How many books did local families read during CLP’s Summer Reading Challenge? The number may surprise you.

This has been a summer of reading throughout the Pittsburgh area, with local families clearly embracing the fun.

Last weekend, our friends at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) celebrated the joy of summer reading at their annual Extravaganza event, held at CLP’s main location in Oakland. As families enjoyed games, music and more inside the library and outside, the CLP team announced the total number of books that families read during CLP’s Summer Reading Challenge.

Photo from the Summer Reading Extravaganza 2026 courtesy of CLP.

The original goal had been 160,000 books. Local families went way beyond that: The final number was 196,273 read by Pittsburgh-area families, almost a 50,000 book increase from last year.

Photo from the Summer Reading Extravaganza 2026 courtesy of CLP.

There was plenty of celebration happening, including welcome remarks given by Andrew Medlar, President & Director, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Mayor Corey O’Connor and First Lady Katie O’Connor, along with Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, the county’s Director of Children’s Initiatives Becky Mercatoris, RAD board member Monica Malik and EQT Foundation president Ellen Rossi.

Families also enjoyed interactive storytimes, crafts, food trucks and book giveaways.

And while CLP’s challenge is now complete, the summer of reading continues throughout the end of August with the Jerome Bettis Reading Challenge, part of the year-long “Won’t You Be a Reader?” campaign.

A collaborative effort between the Grable Foundation, CLP, Scholastic Books and many other local partners, including Reading Ready Pittsburgh and Literacy Pittsburgh, the “Won’t You Be a Reader?” campaign is all about inspiring a love of reading among Pittsburgh-area young people and celebrating the champions who support them.