Summer Reading FAQ

How do I register?
You don’t have to! If you want to participate, just come to the Children’s Library beginning June 14th and pick up a Reading Log or an Early Literacy Sheet!

How much does it cost?
Nothing at all! Thanks to The Friends of the William Jeanes Memorial Library, all of our summer reading activities, programs, and incentives are 100% free.

Do I have to have a library card to join the Summer Reading Challenge?
No! You can participate in the Summer Reading Challenge with or without a library card! You can attend Library programs with or without a library card! You can win prizes with or without a library card! However, if you would like to check out materials, you (or your grown-up) will need a library card. If you already have a library card from another library in Pennsylvania, you can bring that and use it at William Jeanes! If you don’t have a library card, and live in Montgomery County, you can get one at William Jeanes. It’s free and easy. Just come to the library with a parent or legal guardian and make sure they bring their ID. If you don’t have a library card from a library in Pennsylvania, and you don’t live in Montgomery County, you will need to get a library card in the county in which you live before you can check items out at William Jeanes.

I hate reading, why should I join Summer Reading Challenge?
If you don’t like to read, come to the library and challenge us to find a book that might change your mind! Sometimes learning to enjoy reading is just a matter of discovering something that you don’t find totally boring! Even if we fail and can’t get you to like reading, join the Challenge anyway, for the fun programs and prizes!

Should my young child participate in the Summer Reading Challenge using Early Literacy Sheets or a Reading Log?
That is completely up to you! Either may be appropriate depending on your child’s age, particular interests, needs, and personality. Look at an example of an Early Literacy Sheet, which will include activities that you and your child can do together as you go about your daily life, such as naming things you see in the supermarket, singing songs together, and checking out and reading books from the Library. Then check out a page from the Reading Log. You know your child better than anyone else, so we trust your decision about which method of participation will be most enticing to them!

I just finished 5th grade. Should I be part of the Teens’ (6th-12th Grade) or Children’s Summer Reading Challenge?
That is completely up to you and your family! Either may be appropriate for you. Read the information about the Children’s Summer Reading Challenge, then find out a little bit more about the Teen Summer Reading Challenge. Decide which program you think will suit you best.

How many raffle entries and free books can I earn?
Throughout the 8-week Challenge, from June 14th through August 8th, you can earn up to 24 books, 8 entries into our weekly raffle prize drawings, and 9 entries into grand prize drawing. For each week you meet your personal reading goal or complete an Early Literacy Sheet, you’ll earn a coupon for a free book plus an entry into the weekly raffle prize drawing. After each weekly drawing, all raffle tickets will be added to the grand prize drawing! If you meet your reading goal every week of the Challenge, or complete an early literacy sheet during each week, you’ll even earn a bonus entry into the grand prize raffle drawing! For submitting book reviews, you can earn up to 8 coupons for free books! PLUS you’ll earn a free book coupon for each week you attend one or more Library programs!

What counts as reading?
Reading silently by yourself, reading aloud to someone else, someone else reading to you, listening to an audiobook, or thoughtfully looking through a picture book. Older children reading to younger children counts as reading time for both! What can you read? Anything! Books, ebooks, audiobooks, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, magazines, comic books, instruction manuals, newspapers…. truly anything at all!

What can I read?
Anything! Books, ebooks, audiobooks, fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, magazines, comic books, instruction manuals, newspapers…. truly anything at all!

What counts as a Library program?
Absolutely any program, event, or activity that you attend between June 14th and August 8th at the William Jeanes Memorial Library. From storytimes to crazy performances to yoga and everything in between. Check out our calendar to find out about everything we’re offering this summer!

What if I read beyond my weekly reading goal?
Way to go! You won’t earn extra free books or raffle entries, but you can challenge yourself further by upping your goal mid-summer!

Can I use Beanstack?
If you have a Beanstack account, you can continue to use it to log your reading, but it won’t be part of our Children’s Summer Reading Challenge this year.

If I win one of the weekly raffle prizes, will I still be eligible to win again later in the summer?
Yes! Winning a weekly prize does NOT make you ineligible to win another subsequent weekly prize.

Do I get to choose which prize I want if I win a weekly raffle drawing?
Yes. There is not an assigned prize for each weekly drawing. If we draw your name, we will contact you and invite you to come choose from a variety of great prizes. Obviously, as the weeks go by, there will be fewer prizes to choose from, but we have plenty, and we are sure that even the winner of the eighth (last) weekly drawing will find something they love!

If I win one of the weekly raffle prizes, will I still be eligible to win the grand prize at the end of the summer?
Yes! All of the weekly raffle tickets, including the winning tickets, will go into the final grand prize drawing.

Do I have to be AT the Library to win prizes?
No! As long as we can read your phone number on your winning raffle ticket, we will notify you and you will have until the end of August to come claim your prize. If you can’t make it to the Library right away after winning a drawing, but you know which prize you want, just let us know and we will set it aside for you so no one else can choose it in a subsequent drawing.

What if I can’t come to the Library every week?
That’s okay! Beginning June 14th, record your reading in your Reading Log every week or begin completing Early Literacy Sheets. Whenever you come to the Library to show us your Log or completed Early Literacy Sheet, you will receive all the raffle tickets and free book coupons you have earned. If you’d like to start participating before you can get here to pick up a Reading Log or Early Literacy Sheet, that’s okay! Beginning June 14th, for children ages 5 and under, a printable copy of the current week’s Early Literacy Sheet will be linked on this page. For older kids, you can’t print a Reading Log from home, but all you need to do is decide on a weekly reading goal and keep track of how much you read each day beginning June 14th. When you eventually get to the Library, we’ll give you an official Log and you can tape, glue, staple, or re-write everything into it.

Can I still be part of Summer Reading Challenge if I will be living or staying somewhere else for the summer?
If you can’t come to the William Jeanes Library at all during the 8-week challenge, you won’t be able to participate in the William Jeanes Summer Reading Challenge. However, almost every library in the country has their very own summer reading program, so find a public library near where you’ll be and check it out!

Do you have a question we didn’t answer here?
Email Rachel at rfecho@mclinc.org or by clicking here!