by Emily and the Mandel Public Library staff

Calling readers of all ages! It's time again for our annual Winter Reading Program! 

From December 1 to January 31, The Mandel Public Library of West Palm Beach will be participating in Beanstack’s Winter Reading Program. Winter Reading: Read for a Better World encourages readers of all ages to explore diversity, empathy, and action through literature. Readers of any age can log your reading into the Beanstack app or website to be eligible for badges and prizes. Kids, teens, and tweens can earn free books, and adults can win special prize bundles.

This year, we are extra excited to read together as a community as we team up with the City of West Palm Beach Holiday in Paradise to bring some library fun to the West Palm Beach waterfront during select Holiday in Paradise events, you can visit our library tent to get a library card, register for the Winter Reading Program, and even get some cool library swag!

When is the Winter Reading Program?

The program runs from Wednesday, December 1 – Monday, January 31, 2022. These are the days during which you can log your reading in Beanstack! Super excited? You can even sign up early – registration starts Wednesday, November 24. Readers may register at any time throughout the duration of the program.

How do I sign up?

Visit mandelpubliclibrary.beanstack.com or download the Beanstack app to your phone or tablet! Create an account or sign in to an existing one where you can track reading for the whole family.

Can I sign up multiple family members on one Beanstack account?

Yes! You can add as many readers as you like under the same account login – just make sure you sign each reader up for the appropriate reading challenge by age category.

Who can sign up?

Anyone! There are 4 age categories in Beanstack, so readers may choose the appropriate one to join:

• Babies, Toddlers and Preschoolers
• Children in Grades Kindergarten-5
• Teens and Tweens in Grades 6-12
• Adults

What should I read?

Anything you want! If you’re looking for reading recommendations, children and teens can grab a Winter Reading booklet in KidSpace, TeenSource, or at our library tent at Holiday in Paradise events at the West Palm Beach Waterfront for fun activities and reading recommendations.

Readers of all ages can also find book recommendations on our library blog and on our digital reading apps, cloudLibrary and hoopla digital.

What cool stuff can I win and how do I win it?

Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers:

Kids can earn up to 9 free gift books! Earn a badge each time you read together 5 times. Each badge earns a free gift book of your choice, and readers receive a gift book just for registering for the program. Each badge also earns participants an entry into the prize raffle. At the end of the program, 8 participants will receive a Rohi’s Readery gift card valued at $15. The grand prize winner will receive a $25 Target gift card and a special prize pack!

Children in Grades K-5:

Kids can earn up to 9 free gift books! Earn a badge each time you reach 100 minutes of reading. Each badge earns a free gift book of your choice, and readers receive a gift book just for registering for the program. Each badge also earns participants an entry into the prize raffle. At the end of the program, 8 participants will receive a Rohi’s Readery gift card valued at $15. The grand prize winner will receive a $25 Target gift card and a special prize pack!

Teens and Tweens in Grades 6-12:

Teens and tweens can earn up to 9 free gift books! Earn a badge each time you reach 200 minutes of reading. Each badge earns a free gift book of your choice, and readers receive a gift book just for registering for the program. Each badge also earns participants an entry into the prize raffle. Readers can earn up to 8 raffle entries (equivalent of 1600 minutes) and can complete their minutes at their own pace. At the end of the program, 8 participants will receive a Target gift card valued at $15. The grand prize winner will receive a $25 Target gift card and a special prize pack!

Adults:

Adults can earn badges by logging the books they read and by completing reading challenge activities (such as reading a book from a specific genre). Each badge earns the reader a digital ticket that can be entered into a prize drawing of the reader's choosing in the “Drawings” section of Beanstack. Readers can enter as many of the 5 drawings as they want for special themed prize bundles: Art, Mindfulness, Beat Boredom, Coziness, and Foodie packages. The more tickets earned, the more chances there are to win a prize bundle – up to 21 entries!

What counts as reading?

Books, ebooks, audiobooks, comics, graphic novels, magazines, you name it, you read it!

When will winners be notified?

Winners will be notified by Wednesday, February 2, 2022.

What else is happening at the library this winter?

So much! In fact, too much to tell you all about in this blog post, so head on over to our online calendar to see all the in-person and virtual program offerings from DIY holiday greeting cards to art, lectures, storytimes, and more! Plus, don't forget to stop by the library's tent when you see us on the West Palm Beach Waterfront at select Holiday in Paradise events starting Thursday, December 2 for a special gift! Come say "hi" on:

• Thursdays, December 2, 9 & 16
• Friday, December 10
• Saturdays, December 4, 11 & 18

I have more questions.

Great! We'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at 561-868-7700 so we can help!

Happy reading!