Summer Reading Program

June 15 – August 11, 2026

Stories Are Everywhere, Dig In This Summer

This summer, the National Library Service, in partnership with the Braille Institute Library, invites you to “Unearth a Story.” Join us as we explore the histories, landscapes, and voices hidden just beneath the surface of the world around us.

The 2026 Summer Reading Program features two exciting ways to participate:

Tune in live for our Webinars — fascinating conversations with authors, artists, national park rangers, and other compelling voices, held over Zoom every other Tuesday.

Or explore our Narrated Soundscapes — immersive audio experiences exploring four national parks, dropped right here on this page every other Monday.

Register for the Series

Webinars

Webinars bring together compelling speakers for live conversations tied to the “Unearth a Story” theme. Sessions take place every other Tuesday at 1:00 PM PT, starting June 16. Register once to access the entire series.

Don’t have an email address to register? No problem! Call 888-245-2471 to register by phone.

Register for the Series

2026 Summer Reading Program Kickoff — June 15

Launch a summer of stories! Join us for an opening program with special guests as we introduce our 2026 Summer Reading theme and preview the workshops ahead.

Peter Heller in Conversation with Maeve Conran — June 16

Best-selling author Peter Heller discusses his novels, The Dog Stars (DB075493), which is being released in August as a major motion picture directed by Academy Award-winning director Ridley Scott and starring Oscar-nominated actor Jacob Elordi, and The Orchard (DB134029), with Colorado Public Radio journalist Maeve Conran. They will explore what it means to unearth a story and how landscape becomes a character.

The cover of the book The Dog Stars with author Peter Heller next to it and guest speaker.

National Parks as Living Archives: Stories from New Mexico — June 30

National Park Service staff and partners explore the science, history, and culture embedded in three New Mexico sites: Aztec Ruins National Monument, Manhattan Project National Historical Park, and Valles Caldera National Preserve.

Leona Godin & Georgina Kleege in Conversation with Mike Marlin — July 14

Authors M. Leona Godin (There Plant Eyes,  DB104014) and Georgina Kleege (More Than Meets the Eye: What Blindness Brings to Art,  DB093533) discuss their nonfiction work with Mike Marlin, Director of the Braille and Talking Book Library in Sacramento – exploring blindness, perception, and how their lived experiences intertwine with their scholarly work.

Excavating a Life: Megan Marshall in Conversation with Heather Clark — July 28

Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Megan Marshall joins fellow biographer Heather Clark to discuss Marshall’s 2025 book, After Lives: On Biography and the Mysteries of the Human Heart (DBC11807) — exploring biography as excavation and how writing about others becomes a way of writing about oneself.

Two female author headshots side by side.

Digging Up the Past: A Historical Fiction Panel — August 11

Authors Sadeqa Johnson, Jeff Shaara, and Elizabeth Wein explore the research, imagination, and craft behind the historical fiction genre, and why bringing the past to life on the page matters more than ever.

Narrated Soundscapes

Experience the sights through sound with our immersive Narrated Soundscapes, featuring audio journeys through four incredible national parks. Plus, you’ll find bonus materials like tactile maps, books lists and more to help you further explore. A new Narrated Soundscape drops right here on this page every other Monday. Each one remains available, so you can explore and enjoy them whenever you like.

Cape Cod National Seashore

Discover the north shore of Cape Cod, featuring the area around the Life-Saving Station Museum and Highland Lighthouse – you may even encounter a humpback whale.

English Audio

Spanish Audio

Cape Cod photo with text reading Take a Sea Shore Tour

Tactile Map

Download a tactile map of the Cape Cod National Seashore area featured in the Soundscape. Print using a tactile graphics or Swell machine to create a raised-line map you can follow by touch as you listen.

Download Tactile Map

Accessible Park Brochure

Explore the official Cape Cod shoreline brochure in two accessible formats. The UniDescription Project link offers an audio-described version available to everyone. NLS patrons with a BARD account can also access a digital braille version via the BARD link.

Access on BARD

Access on UniDescription

Book List

Download our Cape Cod-inspired reading list — including books mentioned in the Soundscape — all available through the NLS catalog.

Download Book List

3D Printable File

Print a digitized Smithsonian artifact — a Long-Finned Pilot Whale mandible — inspired by Cape Cod National Seashore. No 3D printer? Check with your local library — many have one available for public use.

Download 3D File

Everglades National Park

Take a “wet walk” through a cypress dome, featuring the feel of the water and ferns and sounds of baby alligators.

English Audio

Spanish Audio

Everglades with text reading Explore The Everglades

Tactile Map

Download a tactile map of the Everglades National Park area featured in the Soundscape. Print using a tactile graphics or Swell machine to create a raised-line map you can follow by touch as you listen.

Download Tactile Map

Accessible Park Brochure

Explore the official Everglades National Park brochure in two accessible formats. The UniDescription Project link offers an audio-described version available to everyone. NLS patrons with a BARD account can also access a digital braille version via the BARD link.

Access on BARD

Access on UniDescription

Book List

Download our Everglades-inspired reading list — including books mentioned in the Soundscape — all available through the NLS catalog.

Download Book List

3D Printable File

Print a digitized Smithsonian artifact — a Florida Butterfly Orchid — inspired by Everglades National Park. No 3D printer? Check with your local library — many have one available for public use

Download 3D File

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Explore the crater rim of the Kilauea Volcano caldera and hear the sounds of native birds, volcano eruptions, and waves crashing into the rocky shore.

English Audio

Spanish Audio

Banner depicting the Hawaii Volcanoes with text reading Visit with Volcanoes

Tactile Map

Download a tactile map of the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park area featured in the Soundscape. Print using a tactile graphics or Swell machine to create a raised-line map you can follow by touch as you listen.

Download Tactile Map

Accessible Park Brochure

Explore the official Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park brochure in two accessible formats. The UniDescription Project link offers an audio-described version available to everyone. NLS patrons with a BARD account can also access a digital braille version via the BARD link.

Access on BARD

Access on UniDescription

Book List

Download our Hawaiʻi Volcanoes-inspired reading list — including books mentioned in the Soundscape — all available through the NLS catalog.

Download Book List

3D Printable File

Print a digitized Smithsonian artifact — a Molokaʻi Cauliflower Coral — inspired by Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. No 3D printer? Check with your local library — many have one available for public use.

Download 3D File

Badlands National Park

Take a tour around Roberts Prairie Dog Town, where you’ll find the local wildlife and uncover the layers of geological history that can be found in the colorful stripes of the cliffs and hills.

English Audio

Spanish Audio

Banner depicting the badlands with text reading Beam Into Badlands

Tactile Map

Download a tactile map of the Badlands National Park area featured in the Soundscape. Print using a tactile graphics or Swell machine to create a raised-line map you can follow by touch as you listen.

Download Tactile Map

Accessible Park Brochure

Explore the official Badlands National Park brochure in two accessible formats. The UniDescription Project link offers an audio-described version available to everyone. NLS patrons with a BARD account can also access a digital braille version via the BARD link.

Access on BARD

Access on Unidescription

Book List

Download our Badlands-inspired reading list — including books mentioned in the Soundscape — all available through the NLS catalog.

Download Book List

3D Printable File

Print a digitized Smithsonian artifact — a White-tailed Deer mandible — inspired by Badlands National Park. No 3D printer? Check with your local library — many have one available for public use.

Download 3D File

Questions?

We’re here to help.

Phone: 800-808-2555
Email: bils@brailleinstitute.org

The Braille Institute Library offers free virtual programming year-round, open to everyone. Dive into more author talks, assistive technology tutorials, and more!

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Summer Reading Program

June 15 – August 11, 2026

Stories Are Everywhere, Dig In This Summer

Webinars

2026 Summer Reading Program Kickoff — June 15

Peter Heller in Conversation with Maeve Conran — June 16

National Parks as Living Archives: Stories from New Mexico — June 30

Leona Godin & Georgina Kleege in Conversation with Mike Marlin — July 14

Excavating a Life: Megan Marshall in Conversation with Heather Clark — July 28

Digging Up the Past: A Historical Fiction Panel — August 11

Narrated Soundscapes

Cape Cod National Seashore

Everglades National Park

Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

Badlands National Park

Questions?

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