Read & Bead: FAQ

Since its inception in 2015, our Read & Bead summer reading program has become more popular with kids, their grown-ups, and other libraries.  We get dozens of questions in the months leading up to Summer Reading (and plenty more throughout the year) so here are some frequent queries asked and answered.

Last update: January 28, 2022

What is Read & Bead?

This is our version of a "prizeless" Summer Reading Program for age 3 to grade 6.  Kids read and record their minutes (or have a grown-up help them track time) then they turn those minutes into beads of varying colors, shapes, and designs to decorate and personalize their very own necklace or key chain.

I'm more of a visual/auditory learner.  Do you have something I can watch?

Yes!  There is a webinar available on the Massachusetts Library System site; be sure to scroll down if you can't find it right away.  This includes a downloadable handout.

How did this start?

You can read about the inspiration behind our library's program on the original blog post.  This also contains details about running the program and trying it in your own library.

How do I start?  What do I give out when kids sign up?

Get excited!  Your kids and grown-ups will love this, trust us.  

Every child that signs up receives the following:

• 1 Brag Tag
• 1 necklace or key chain
• 1 reading record sheet

At each step of the process, kids get a choice.  

• What brag tag design would you like?  We always have at least four choices.
• Would you like to collect your beads on a key chain or necklace?  Necklaces are vastly more popular with all kids under age 10.
• How do you want to record your minutes? See below in "How do the kids track minutes."

How do the kids track minutes?

We provide kids with the official CSLP (Collaborative Summer Library Program) Timed Reading Record sheets.  These are basically fancy pieces of paper with blank circles ready to be filled in.  If your library does not participate in CSLP or you prefer to make your own, any sheet with blank lines or fill-in shapes will do.

We encourage kids to track their minutes one of two ways.  Younger kids usually make each circle worth a certain amount of time (i.e. 1 colored circle might equal 15 minutes of reading time for one child and 30 minutes for another child) and color in circles as they go.  Older kids prefer to record a day's worth of time in one circle by simply writing it in.  Either way, we encourage kids and grown-ups to be sure the times can be broken into 15 minute increments so they can more easily select beads.

This program is all about personalization, so they get to be in control of how they record their minutes.

What beads do you use?  Can kids exchange their beads?

There were 5 "levels" of beads kids could earn:

• 15 minutes = Solid color beads
• 30 minutes  = Sparkly/Glitter beads
• 1 hour = Pearlescent beads (previously "Shiny" beads)
• 2 hours = Glow-in-the-Dark/UV beads
• 4 hours = Shaped beads (sports balls, animals, skulls, and more!)

Participants could "level up" as the summer progressed.  So if they read for 30 minutes one day and picked up a sparkly bead, then read for 30 minutes the next day, they could exchange all of those minutes for one shiny bead (turning in their original sparkly bead).

What do I need to buy? Where do I buy it?

Your exact supplies will depend on how you want to enact the project, but our basics were as follows:

• Bead organizer: You can use any case with compartments as long as it has a latch and the number of divided areas you need.
• We went with 2 Sterilite Divided Cases from Amazon* (but it's MUCH cheaper at a local store, such as Target*); we purchased the additional case so we could use two 6-part dividers with beads on one side and tags/chains on the other. As you'll see in the product image, the original case comes with only one 6-part divider. (Paragraph updated 3/5/22)

Kids spent a lot of time carefully selecting their beads.

• Tags and chains: We use SchoolLife.* Their site allows you to personalize brag tag designs with your own wording.  We elected to add our Library's name!  The tags are very sturdy plastic and held up very well.  We had some chains break, but we had extras on hand.

• Beads: These can easily be purchased at a local craft store, but online outlets such as Lakeshore Learning,* Oriental Trading,* and Amazon* have many different pony bead designs to select from. Beadtin* has wonderful options for pony beads of all kinds is is what we've used for the past few years now.

• Logging Sheets: The CSLP shop is our go-to location, but you can download many different kinds from sites such as TeachersPayTeachers* or even make your own!

• Books: As you'll read below, our kids also get to select a free book to take home after the program, regardless of the amount they read.  I go through donations as they come to the library and stock pile them throughout the year.  Some libraries may not have this option; these librarians often recommend the Scholastic Dollar Book Store* (everything is $1).

For your "shaped" beads, what is the most popular?

We always keep a combination of sports ball beads and animal beads. The most popular beads in our community are turtles and teddy bears (both of which we got from Beadtin*). However, feel free to mix it up!  Just be sure that whatever you purchase will fit your chain size (see below).

What size beads do I need?  I want to make sure they fit the chain!

If you purchase standard ball chains, you should ensure that the beads are advertised with an opening size of at least 2.5mm or 1/8 inches.

Have you ever tried Alphabet Beads?

Yes, but I don't recommend them. Common letters are snatched up quickly and we're left with an assortment of XYZs by the end of summer and lots of kids who never get to finish spelling out their name on their chain.

Do the kids get any other prizes?

Yes!  Each child who participates in the SRP will get to select a book to take home and keep "forever and ever" (we call them "Forever" books and the kids love this!).  Reading is still its own reward in this way and kids still don't feel pressure to reach a certain goal.

The hoard of books I keep in the attic until summer.

Does this work?

Yes again!  Our participation has only grown since introducing Read & Bead.  Other libraries that have tried it have loved the results too.  The research and support behind intrinsic motivation is available in another blog entry here.

Can you use the beads for other activities?

Why not?  Other libraries have reported using different kinds of beads to distribute for event attendance so you can be creative!

How much does all this cost?

This greatly depends on your population size, but our overall expenses are less than $0.50 per participant.

What if a child loses their necklace?

It is not worth the tears to do anything other than replace the necklace/key chain, beads, and tag.  We give them a reminder to "take extra care with this one," but the kids are generally very careful as they are so proud of their collection.

Do the chains ever break?

Everything has its flaws, including these chains, and especially when you have kids pulling on them to show them off all the live-long day.  We have about a dozen chains break every summer and we simply replace the chain.

What if a child forgets their necklace (and comes to collect beads)?

We keep a box of snack-size Ziploc* bags nearby for this very reason!  We finally used our box of 50 bags at the end of last summer (that lasted us for three summers!).

How do you handle distributing and trading in beads?  Don't you get busy?

We are very lucky to have a long circ desk in our Children's Room so a staff member can handle regular circ at one end while another staff member handles bead distribution at the other end.  Many other libraries set up a separate table with volunteers to count minutes and distribute beads so staff are free to answer questions and assist patrons in other ways.

Libraries with a smaller staff have implemented a "Bead Bank" staffed by teen volunteers during busy hours. This is often a table near the circulation desk or in another central part of the youth area. Regardless of how you handle the beads, it's important to always have the box on hand during all library hours as each family has their own schedule.

What about babies and toddlers?

Our Read & Bead program is open to ages 3+ (through grade 6) as the CDC has warnings about chocking hazards for children ages 2 and under (and most products with small pieces have this age recommendation as well, sometimes even including ages 3 and under in their warnings).

Those who are too young (read: under age 2 and at risk for swallowing small beads) have the Rubber Ducky Club.  Ours is open to ages 0 - 4, allowing overlap and a choice for "older" kids to select one program or the other.

Grown-ups are given a sheet with activities that focus on early literacy, brain, or motor development (as simple as "build with blocks" or "share a bedtime story").  For each activity, kids can color in a rubber ducky on the sheet (or adults can check off a duck).  Once all the duckies are colored in, the family can visit the library to select a prize; these prizes include small board books, finger puppets, lacing cards, and rubber duckies!

Here is an example of an activity sheet (PDF).  We have a total of three sheets families may complete (labeled A, B, and C), totaling three chances for prizes.

Note: This was previously our "Early Literacy Club," but we've since adopted and adapted the Rubber Ducky Club from Bethlehem Public Library; their program appeared in SLJ.

Update on 2/9/21: We now use the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program year round. For details about how we run 1BBK, click here to visit our library's page.

What about teens?

Unfortunately, we're still working on this.  We've yet to find something that reels in teens of all interests, doesn't cost a fortune, and still focuses on intrinsic motivation (like the Read & Bead Club).

In 2016 and 2017 we did our Books & Buttons Club.  Teens worked towards certain objectives to earn themed buttons that we created in-house with our button maker.  For example, teens who read one book earned the "Cover to Cover" button.

In 2018, we did Team Teen Read.  When teens signed up for SRP, they chose a team (Team Llama or Team Narwhal). Every 1 minute they read = 1 point for their team. The winning team won gold-colored buttons with their team mascot and the runner-up won silver-colored buttons; our button-maker got a workout!  While we didn't get many more teens to actually sign up, we saw those who DID sign up a lot more often and they logged a lot more minutes. We kept a white board in the lobby (at the entrance to the YA Lounge) with a tally of the minutes, updated weekly. We did this again in 2019 and 2020 with four teams instead of two with similar reception.

In 2021 we launched the Hatchery. For every hour of reading, teens unlocked either a digital egg or "hatched" their previous egg to reveal a unique creature and an accompanying "Fast Fact." Teens got to pick up a physical button for every creature they hatched (up to 5 creatures) and were entered into a Grand Prize Drawing after reading for 10 hours. Participation was very low but it was an odd summer so we'll be trying this again in 2022.

What does a key chain look like (with beads)? (added 5/24/2019)

The key chain are small/short, but some older kids still like them!  Pictured below is a key chain with 12 hours worth of beads (three 4-hour beads in varying shapes available in our Bead Bank).  Compared to the necklaces, these are rarely selected and kids often trade in their key chain for the longer necklace.  For this reason, some libraries have opted out of this option.  We still have it because we still have key chains from our original order and it's always nice to have that element of choice.

Read & Bead key chain with 12 hours of beads
(three 4-hour beads in different shapes).

What if I still have questions?

Please comment below and I will respond ASAP.

Me, pictured wearing an every day outfit for the library.

*I am not affiliated with these companies.  Please always use the products and sites that best suit your library!