This year’s Summer Reading Program starts at 1:00 PM on June 8, 2024. You can sign up for a Beanstack account now, if you don’t have one, and pre-register for the program. If you have a Beanstack account from a different base, you’ll need a new one for Minot.

Register for the Program or Log Reading Time:

Important Registration Info! If you are registering yourself AND one or more family members, register yourself FIRST! If you are ACTIVE DUTY, please select your squadron under “which organization or partner are you with.” The system will ask you for an ACCOUNT CREATOR’S information first. If you are registering your entire family, you can put everyone in as readers under one account creator, or you can have any number of account creators per family, but all account creators must be 13 or older.

If you are having trouble with the Beanstack Website, click HERE for step-by-step instructions.

Register for the Summer Reading Program (Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 1:00 PM – Friday, August 7, 2024 at 11:59 PM) or Log Reading Time (Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 1:00 PM – Saturday, August 17, 2024 at noon) at the following link:

CLICK HERE to Register or Log your reading at Beanstack

Program Eligibility and Rules

Eligibility

If you are eligible to use the library, you can participate in the Summer Reading Program. You could be active duty military, a retiree, national guard, reserve, civilian employee, contractor, or a dependent of the above.

General Rules

You can register for the program using the links above or at the library where you can register yourself using library computers, or you can ask the library staff to register you. If you don’t have an e-mail address, you must ask the staff to register you. As long as supplies last, you will receive a program card with the URL to this page and space to write down your log-on information, a program t-shirt, a badge book (explained below), a pencil, a bookmark, and a registration bag containing additional information when you register. If you register online, be sure to pick up these items when you next visit the library.

You have to choose the program yourself when you register. The programs are divided by age group: Adults (18 and up), Teens (13-18), Tweens (9-12), Kids (3-8), and Tots (0-2). If you are on the border between age groups, you can decide which one to register for, but make sure you write a corresponding age on all drawing slips.

Adults will be asked for their PARTNER. Active Duty adults should pick their squadron from the “PARTNER” drop down menu while registering so that their squadron gets credit in the squadron competition (see below). Non-Active Duty adults should choose “N/A”

Everyone must select their service branch (Air Force for everyone except Army National Guard) as the DoD wants statistics on this information.

Prizes!

Kids and Teens aged 0-17 can earn 1 “reading buck” for every 300 minutes (5 hours) that they read up to 1800 min (30 hrs). Adults can earn 1 reading buck for every 5 hours read up to 40 hours. The reading bucks can be exchanged for prizes at our prize store. Readers who make it to a reading goal (20 hours for ages 0-2, 30 hours for ages 3-17, and 40 hours for adults) will earn a bonus prize of a program coin.

You can earn extra reading bucks by participating doing the following:

Tots Only: Completing the Early Learning Activities
Ages 3-17: Completing your first 5 LEGO Challenges
Ages 3-17: Completing your first 3 STEAM Challenges
All Ages: Completing the Murder Mystery Game
All Ages: Writing (or dictating) 5 book reviews
All Ages: Finding 10 or more items for the July Photo Scavenger Hunt
All Ages: Participating in a certain number of programs per month for your age group (5 in June, 7 in July, 5 in August; does not include the Kick-Off and Wrap-Up Parties)

Ask the Base Library Staff how to complete these activities.

View the image below to see all of the possible prizes in our prize store and their prices.

Everyone can also earn one grand prize drawing slip for every 300 minutes (5 hours) that they read. There is no upper limit for total hours read. The Minot Spouses’ Club has kindly donated grand prizes for all five age groups. The grand prize drawing will be held during our Wrap-Up Party on August 17th (starts at 1:00 PM, and all hours must be logged by 1:15 PM). You do not have to be present to win, but you must respond to our attempts to contact you within a week of the drawing. The more you read, the more drawing slips you will win and the more chances you have to win a grand prize. You can also win drawing slips by earning Summer Reading Program Badges (see below).

To receive your prize(s) and drawing slips, including the registration t-shirt and bag, simply visit the library, and we will look you up in our Summer Reading Program system and give you your reading bucks. All prizes are only available while supplies last, but a few new prizes will be added every 2 weeks to try to keep up the variety. If you can’t visit the library often or are going on vacation, you can register and log your hours online and come in when you have completed most or even all of the reading for your program goal. If you can’t make it to the library to receive your final drawing slips on or before Saturday, August 17th but have the hours already logged in the online system, you can also e-mail us no later than 11:00 AM on the 17th with your full name, and we will fill out your final drawing slips for you and, if applicable and available, set aside your incentive prize(s).

Top Reader Grand Prizes

The top reader (in terms of total hours logged) in each of the five age categories will win a special grand prize. We will determine and announce the winners’ names at the Wrap-Up Party on August 17th.

Logging Reading Time

You can log your hours online or using a paper reading log or both. We recommend using paper logs for kids (the kids’ logs include stickers!) and then transferring the time tracked to the online log or having our staff do that for you.

The online log requires that you submit log entries with a date. You can choose to log your reading every day, as you complete each book, or every week. You can choose to submit the date that you did the reading, completed the book, or simply updated your log. If you are logging online, there is a system limit to how many minutes you can log at once, but the library staff can override this limit, so if you lose track, come to the Library and have us log for you.

The kids’ logs consist of 2 columns of 10 rows of 5 circles. Kids can put a sticker on a circle (or cross out the circle if we run out of stickers) for every 15 minutes that they read (or are read to). 20 circles equals one drawing slip and (until they reach the 1800 minutes) one reading buck. You can take as many logs and stickers home with you as you would like (within reason and supplies permitting).

The other paper logs are more basic. One is for older kids, tweens, and teens, and the other is for adults. You color in or cross out one symbol for every hour that you read. Every completed row of 5 symbols equals one drawing slip and (for participants who have not yet reached the 30/40 hour goal) one reading buck.

Online log users of all age groups can log in either hours or minutes but MUST specify (ex. 1hr 20min)

The online system has blanks for book titles, authors, and comments, but these are not required. They were included only because we felt that some participants might like to use the option.

Participants can choose to submit reviews of the books they read and can earn a badge in the online system every 5 reviews up to 25 reviews. Each badge earns a grand prize drawing slip, and the badge for 5 reviews also earns a reading buck. Participants aged 0-8 can submit “Picture Reviews” as an alternative to reviews in words. A picture review is a picture of an art project (playdough, LEGO, crayon art, etc.) or a video of a performance (song, dance, etc.) that is related to or inspired by the book. To submit a review without using the online system, simply show it to a member of the library staff. The review badges are purely virtual, but library staff can help you to still earn them even if you aren’t using the online system.

Summer Reading Program Badges

Participants can win extra drawing slips by earning badges for special activities including attending programs, completing LEGO or STEAM challenges, completing the Minot AFB Mystery Game, participating in the July Photo Scavenger Hunt, and more! Every badge helps you earn drawing slips (and sometimes reading bucks) and can be redeemed as earned or all at once towards the end of the program. There are different badges for each age group. Some badges are available both digitally and on paper while others are only on paper. Look for digital badges under “Activities” in Beanstack, and/or pick up a badge booklet with all of the badge winning opportunities at the library when you register for the program or pick up your registration bag. For some paper badges, three must be earned before a drawing slip is. These badges have overlapping circles in the badge book.

Squadron Contest

Squadrons are invited to compete for the most active-duty members participating in the Summer Reading Program! The winning squadron will receive a certificate and a trophy to display for a year. 2023’s winner was 5 FSS! The top five squadrons will be posted periodically on our Facebook page for the duration of the program.

Programs to Attend at the Library

Don’t forget to ask the library staff for a badge if you attend a program during the Summer Reading Program other than the Kick-Off Party and the Wrap-Up Party! https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=mafblibrary%40gmail.com&ctz=America/Chicago

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why do we have a Summer Reading Program?

A. Studies show that kids’ literacy levels back-slide during the summer and library summer reading programs can slow, stop, or reverse that ‘summer slide.’ Kids who participate in summer reading programs show improved reading skills, are more ready for school in the fall, and are more motivated to read.
Reading benefits adults too. Literacy skills must be maintained all life long, and reading for pleasure is a fun way to maintain and improve your skills and your brain.

Q. What kind of reading counts?

A. Any kind of reading counts. Literacy skills improve regardless of the type of material that is read. You can count graphic novels (comics), magazines, websites, and even publications you read for school or work. Studies show that letting readers choose their reading material leads to more engaged reading and increased reading motivation which in turn lead to improved literacy. A freely available study on this topic can be found here.

Q. Does listening to audiobooks count?

A. Yes. Listening to audiobooks has been linked to improved literacy in children. Read an article about audiobooks and literacy here.

Q. How can I volunteer to help with the program?

A. Call 723-3344 or visit the library and ask about volunteering.

Q. What do I do if I forget my user name or password for the online system?

A. If you supplied and e-mail address when you registered, you can use the “forgot user ID or password” link on the log-in screen. If that fails, come to the library for further assistance.

Q. Do I need to have a library card to participate?

A. No.

Q. How do I sign up?

A. Use the links at the top of this page or visit the library.

Summer Reading Program