On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 14, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library celebrated the conclusion of its summer reading program outdoors with picnic mats, music, and prizes ready to give away. Part of the lawn was reserved for the retirement party of the library pet guinea pig, Zeus, resting in a shaded kiddie pool. As parents reclined on the picnic mats, young children flipped through the assortment of books scattered on the lawn, took turns petting Zeus goodbye, and eyed the raffle boxes in anticipation of prizes being announced.

The reading program kicked off July 29, allowing over 100 participants to earn raffle tickets and prizes for every five hours of reading. There are different raffle boxes for different prizes, so kids can invest tickets in the prize they want the most. Hours are tracked in a reading passport, paired with their own Polaroid picture taken at the library. The passport also has challenges, such as writing down five facts on an animal or country, and encouraging kids to read at different places like a friend's house, the beach, or the library.

Bethany Schmidt, the community and technology coordinator who designed this year’s passport, said, “The passports started in 2019 and were a big hit. So we just went with it again this year. Last year we did an online version of the summer reading program and it went well but it was harder to get people involved. This year had a huge appeal.” 

Jennifer Betts, who began working at the library in March and is the children’s coordinator, explained the passport’s appeal. “We wanted passports so that proof of reading could be printed on paper. We wanted something that was going to be a good memory, that kids could keep. It makes reading real. Especially with their photo in there.” 

Weiwei Curtis, mother, said, “My girls love to read. We’ve done many reading programs at other libraries but none have been as creative or immersive as this one. This passport is designed in a very playful way for children to complete tasks. My daughter really liked writing the short reviews for the books she read.”

Raffle prizes consisted of seven bikes donated by Seaside Lodge, a Kindle Fire, book bags with a book and a $20 Sherman’s Maine Coast Book Shop gift card, family mini golf and ice cream package, the opportunity to be a librarian for a day, and a pizza and movie night at the library. Smaller prizes that could be earned throughout the summer were Downeast Ice Cream Factory and Coastal Maine Popcorn Co. tickets, mini journals and pencils, spy pens (invisible ink pens), flashlight key chains, and galaxy slime. At 1:30, the prizes were announced. Separate from the raffle prizes, every kid could choose a small prize.

Betts said, “The rewards are very appealing, rewards are always nice. But the kids really got into the challenges this year. It was super fun. They really wanted to work at getting as many things completed as they could so this passport is very motivating.”

Nicolas Colby, 7, said, “I did one of the animal challenges. I researched the tawny eagle and learned they ate small reptiles.” His sister, Samantha, 10, said, “I researched llamas. They can talk with their noses!”

Jessica Doucette, mother, said, “We tell them that even if they don’t win anything, it’s fine. That’s not why we’re doing this. It’s to motivate them to read and be a learning experience.”

Betts said the reading program is important because, “I mean reading through the summer is just key, because if kids aren't engaging in learning throughout the summer, then they're going to slide back during that time. This program helps ease their transition back to school. Reading is so much fun and a lifelong skill.”