By Emily States, Adult Services Supervisor, Stillwater Public Library
Readers of all ages are invited to “Cozy Up with a Good Book” during the Stillwater Public Library’s annual winter reading program that runs from Nov. 18 through Dec. 31. This year’s goal is to make reading a daily habit.
Participants must register online using Beanstack, the online reading tracking platform and app and use it to keep track of the days they read. There are also a variety of additional challenges that can be completed on Beanstack, like reading in a pillow fort or while drinking a favorite warm beverage. Paper trackers will also be available upon request and can be used in conjunction with Beanstack.
Readers will earn incentives as they complete their daily reading, including:
For every seven days of reading completed, readers of all ages will earn a small prize plus an entry into a grand prize drawing for their age group (children, teens or adults).
After reaching 28 days of reading, children and teens may choose a free book.
At the end of the program, one reader from each age group will be randomly drawn to win a $50 gift card to a local bookstore of their choice. Winners will be announced at the Harry Potter trivia finale on Saturday, Jan. 6, and on Facebook and Instagram.
Elizabeth Murray, children’s librarian, cannot wait for families to meet this year's fuzzy winter reading mascot, Fudge the Bear, who will begin popping up around the library on Dec. 1.
“For the past three years, a winter reading mascot has been roaming the library waiting to be found,” Murray said. “Children get so excited to find the cute stuffed animal and bring it to the Help Desk to get a small prize from the vending machine.”
The winter reading program will wrap up with Harry Potter trivia on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 2-4 p.m. The event will take place at Stonecloud located at 917 S. Husband Street.
The winter reading program is sponsored by the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library and numerous local businesses that provide coupons as reading incentives, including, Chick-fil-A, Del Taco, H2Tea), Louie’s, Mazzio’s, McAlisters, Old School Bagel, Stillwater Sweets, Texas Roadhouse and The Garage.
“We are very grateful to the Friends of the Library and all of the Stillwater businesses that support us each year,” Murray said. “Without them, we wouldn’t be able to share our love of reading and learning with the community.”
The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. Library hours are Monday- Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
