By Marisa Dawson, Courtesy Photos

The Bennington Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge may have wrapped up July 30, but for hundreds of local kids, the rewards of their summer reading continued into September.

Those participating in the program tracked the days they met their reading goals throughout the summer, completing a form for each day they read, up to 50 days. Along the way, participants reached milestones that earned prizes, raffle tickets and other incentives.

For those who completed all 50 days, there was one especially meaningful reward: a book of their choice, purchased by the Friends of the Bennington Library.

The Friends began the annual tradition in 2019, giving children and teens the opportunity to select a book they genuinely want to read rather than choosing from a predetermined selection.

“It was important to the Friends that children and teens be able to choose a book they genuinely want to read, rather than simply selecting from a limited or predetermined list,” said Lisa Flaxbeard, director of the Bennington Public Library. “By being able to choose their book, they are able to find one that excites them and that they will actually enjoy reading.”

This year, the Friends purchased 473 books for children who completed the challenge. The books were available for pickup over the past couple of weeks.

Since the program began, the Friends have sponsored 2,357 books for children who completed the Summer Reading Challenge.

The strong participation is a reflection of the role reading and the library continue to play in local families’ summers, Flaxbeard said.

“This year, the Friends sponsored 473 books. The strong participation we continue to see in our Summer Reading Challenge, across all age groups, tells us that we are doing something right!” she exclaimed. “It really shows that families in our community value reading and see the library as an important part of their summers.”

For children receiving their books, the experience offers something different from checking out a library book: the book is theirs to keep.

“The kids are so excited to receive their new books, and often want to open them and start reading right away! Some are especially excited to realize the book is theirs to keep, rather than needing to return it like a library book,” said Allison Junker, president of the Friends of the Library.

Kara White, a Friends of the Library member, said the excitement is also visible when children get to show off the books they selected.

“The kids light up when you hand them the book they earned. Some of them were eager to show us their books and tell us about the characters on the front cover,” she recalled. “In some cases, multiple siblings completed the summer reading challenge so we could present the whole family with new books!”

For local parent Wendi Langel, the opportunity for her children to choose their own books has become something they anticipate each summer.

“We love the generosity of the Friends of the Library! Choosing a book to complete the summer reading program is something our kids look forward to every year,” she said. “It really encourages them to read routinely to earn their prize at the end of the summer. We rarely purchase books (because we have such a great library) so getting their own books is a special treat!”

The Friends hope the program does more than encourage children to read during the summer months. The organization and library also see it as a way to help children develop a lasting connection to reading and to the library itself.

Flaxbeard said giving children a book to keep extends the benefits of the library into their homes.

“We hope the program helps children build a lifelong relationship with reading and with the library,” she said. “Research shows that having books in the home can have a powerful and lasting positive impact on children’s success in school and throughout their lives. Giving children a book of their own helps extend that impact beyond the library and into their homes.”

Research also supports the potential long-term value of putting books into children’s homes. A 2026 five-year randomized study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that students who received free, high-interest books to build home libraries experienced significantly higher reading achievement than students who did not receive the books. Students who participated throughout the study demonstrated gains equivalent to roughly half to two-thirds of a typical year of learning, providing evidence that increased access to books can contribute directly to literacy development.

The book giveaway is just one example of what the Friends of the Bennington Library make possible through their financial support, fundraising and advocacy. Flaxbeard said the organization played an important role in the library’s 2018 building expansion and renovation, and more recently funded an architecture firm to develop a master plan for the library’s next expansion.

“The Friends provide both financial support and strong advocacy for the library. Their support has made a tremendous difference in what we are able to offer our community,” Flaxbeard said.

With potential future expansion and a possible capital campaign ahead, the Friends are expected to continue playing an important role in supporting the library and its services.

For Junker, handing books to young readers is one of the most rewarding parts of serving with the organization.

“Handing out book prizes is one of my favorite parts of being in Friends of the Library,” she said. “It’s really fun to see what a wide variety of books the kids choose, from board books for toddlers to early reader books for elementary kids to young adult novels for teens. It’s great to be able to provide that incentive to encourage kids of all ages to read throughout the summer.”

White said seeing hundreds of books prepared for local children also connects to her own memories of visiting the library as a child.

“It’s amazing to see hundreds of books of every reading level and genre ready to go into the hands of young readers,” she said. “I have wonderful memories of going to my local library when I was a child. Now as a Friend of the Library, being even a small part of helping kids make those same kinds of memories is so rewarding.”

The Friends will be highlighted during National Friends of the Library Week, which begins October 18. The organization is also preparing for its next quarterly meeting, scheduled for 6 p.m. November 16 at the Bennington Public Library.

During that meeting, members will elect new officers and organize new committees. Community members interested in supporting the library through volunteer work and advocacy are encouraged to attend.

For the Friends, the summer reading book giveaway is one tangible way to see that support reach local families: one book, and one young reader, at a time.