TOP & TOP RIGHT : MARION BROWN ; BELOW RIGHT : COURTESY OF GINA MITGANG

morning newspaper with aparent , the challenge shows kids how often reading pops up in their lives .

“ All the thingskids love online or on TV startedwithin the pages of abook ,” Loria says . “ It ’ s our job to show them they can find that excitementbyreading and not just by jumping online .” Thoughshe admits the incentives add to the excitementofthe challenge , the kids have fun regardless of the prizes , which is why so many of the library ’ s programs are so popular .

“ The library events offer asense of community and connectionwith other people that you can ’ t get from social media ,” she says of programslike “ Read to aDog or Cat ,” story times and even their Zumba class for kids , where books about exercise are displayed on anearby table . “ We try to relate everythingback to readingand make it exciting even when there are no prizes ,” Loria says . “ The real reward is not winning something , but actually enjoying the time you spend reading .”

At the Mahwah Public Library , older kids can join the teen department ’ s “ Winter Reading Challenge ,” which has run everyyear for the past decade . “ Last winter Iused abingo

board format and kids had to read a certain number of hours to complete asquare ,” says senior teen librarian DeniseJukniewicz . “ Some of the squares have special challenges , like writing an online review or doing community service , soeven reluctant readers aren ’ t discouragedfrom joining .”

Participantsinthe program can win prizes ranging from local business coupons to Game Stop giftcardsand iPad minis , but the challenge is popular for more than just those incentives . “ I can ’ t lie , the prizes do attract them ,” says Jukniewicz , “ but we have alot of kids who really just love coming to the library and love reading . They ’ ve grown up coming here and taking part in the programs and they still enjoy doing that .”

The teens can also participate in the statewide summerreading program , achallenge that ’ sreally popular in Mahwah ’ s children ’ s department as well , drawing more than 500 children in 5th gradeand below last summer .

“ New Jersey is amember of The CollaborativeSummer Library Program , which runs the summer reading program , so all of the state ’ s libraries

CREATING ACOMMUNITY Ridgewood teens volunteer to read to younger kids in a StoryTeens Storytime afterschool session at the library .