Current Reading Challenges:
Beanstack Frequently Asked Questions
Contact the Glen Carbon Library Help Desk if your question is not answered below or you need more help.
Email: gle@glencarbonlibrary.org
Phone: 618-288-1212
What is Beanstack?
Beanstack is a website and app that allows you to track your reading and earn prizes by participating in reading challenges. You can register as an individual, family or classroom. Beanstack also has the ability to send you book recommendations based on your profile information and reading habits.
It only takes a few minutes to create a Beanstack account! Choose how you would like to register (as an individual, registering a child, registering a family) and complete all of the required fields on the online form.
Please note: Registration for Beanstack Challenges is separate for each participating library. You will need to create a new account at each library where you participate in a Reading Challenge.
Beanstack Terms to Know
Challenge Badge– Earned by registering and completing your reading program. They are not counted towards the completion requirement.
Logging Badge– Earned by logging your reading.
Activity Badge – Earned by completing the required number of activities listed in the badge.
Review Badge – Earned by writing a book review. Reviews can be seen by other readers in their program only. Reviews are approved by library staff before they are live.
Earned Badge– List of badges you have completed.
Rewards – Any prizes a reader has earned are listed.
Ticket Drawings – When used, readers earn a ticket for each completed badge. The tickets are entries to their program’s Grand Prize Drawing
Certificates – When used, readers earn in a certificate completing an Activity Badge. Readers can print them off and brag about their accomplishment!
Instructions for web version of Beanstack:
- Go to glencarbonlibrary.beanstack.org
- Click on Register an Individual or Family.
- You will be asked if you want to register yourself or your child.
- If registering as a family, the parent/caregiver should begin by clicking I am Registering Myself.
- You will be asked for your first name, last name, email, phone number, zip code, age, and grade. Adults will choose 18+ for ages and Adult for grade.
- Email and phone number are NOT required. If you provide an email, you will be able to do password recovery if you forget your password.
- The Library’s reading programs are organized by age and/or grade. A reader will only be able to register for the program for their age.
- Once registered, you will be asked if you want to add another adult or child.
- The username and password created for the family account should be used by all family members you created to log in to their Beanstack account.
How to I log books?
The Beanstack app does allow readers to scan the bar code on the back of the book to log reading. Scanning the barcode with a library’s name will NOT work.
Instructions for web version of Beanstack:
- Sign into your Beanstack account at glencarbonlibrary.beanstack.org
- Click the Log Reading and Activities button above Reader’s name.
- Select the Reader you’d like to log for, then select Minutes or Books.
- Children log by minutes.
- Teen and Adults log by books.
- A calendar will open for you to select the day for which you are logging.
- Type in the number of minutes/books read.
- Adding Title and Author and writing a book review are optional. You will find the books you read and reviewed under the Challenge Log button.
How do I log activities?
Instructions for web version of Beanstack:
- Sign into your Beanstack account at glencarbonlibrary.beanstack.org
- Select the Reader you’d like to log for, then select Activities.
- A calendar will open for you to select the day for which you are logging.
- Choose which Activity Badge you want to log.
- Once in the Badge, click on the activities you did.
- The Badge description will list how many activities you need to do to earn the Badge.
Need more help? Try these helpful Beanstack videos.
How to log your reading as a reader on a desktop
How to log activities as a reader on a desktop.
How to create an account on the mobile app.