Trophies for Tomes, Bonanzas For Books : At Rogers Memorial Library, Reading Means Rewards

Baby Boomers may recall yearning to win a gold star when they were young, the award for reading books. Nowadays, Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton has a similar program, but the prizes are significantly more yearn-worthy.

And it’s for adults.

For 19 years, the library has hosted a winter adult reading program. Participants receive prizes for completing a certain number of books, and can enter drawings for amazing gifts from nearly four dozen area businesses.

The prizes range from $10 to $100 or more in value and include both gift cards and merchandise from the businesses. Readers earn chances in the weekly raffles for each book they read, and grand prize entries for every three books.

And the grand prizes are, indeed, grand.

Awarded at the end of the program, on March 28, they include a necklace from Corwith Jewelers; a Spa Day from Beauty Bar, La Carezza & Urban Renaissance; a Hamptons Hot Yoga Gift Card; a Bamboo Gift Card; home improvement from Aboff’s, Fowler’s, Herrick Hardware, and Tenet; brunch for four at Claude’s Restaurant; a Southampton Publick House gift card; wines from Herbert & Rist; and an eight-pack of tennis clinics from Future Stars in Southampton.

Said Nicole Kitz of Future Stars, “I love to read and our staff loves to read, so we want to encourage people to read, too. At Future Stars, we really want to focus on reading and physical health.”

Melissa Sutter, the Rogers outreach and reference librarian, is spearheading the program this year. The late Elizabeth Eastin, a longtime head of the reference department, started the program, Sutter said. So far this year, about 95 library members are participating in the program, which began on January 10. You can still sign up.

Each year, it features a different theme, with “Game On” the focus for 2022. “We have little online games for participants to earn extra points toward grand prize entries as well. This year, to fit the game theme, they’re based on classic board games. The one based on Pictionary even features artwork from library employees,” she said.

Participants don’t have to wait until March to win prizes. There are prizes awarded every week, and the first 75 participants to log six books get a folding beach chair.

Lynn Montaglione has a whole shoreline setup — a beach chair, an umbrella, and a blanket — thanks to prizes she’s won over the years.

A retired teacher, she recalled taking her daughters to reading clubs at Rogers Memorial Library back when it was located on Jobs Lane. “My kids did the reading club at the old library. They didn’t have one for adults, and when it started, I thought that was great,” she recalled, noting “reading is my thing.”

Now, she and her family go into the library together to try to solve clues to a weekly challenge for more chances at grand prizes.

She and her daughter, LeighAnn, have both been weekly prize winners so far. Lynn won a $20 gift card to Hamptons Coffee and LeighAnn was awarded a $25 gift card to BookHampton.

“The merchants are just fabulous,” Lynn said. The prizes afford readers the chance to try local places they may not have been to before. And, she pointed out, “even when you don’t win a prize, you still read a good book.”

This is Jayne Clare’s first year participating in the program, and the voracious reader has already won a prize — a package from Roller Rabbit on Job’s Lane, “with a cool mask and some cosmetic bags,” she said.

Clare discovered the program one day when she asked staff at the reference department for help finding a book. “They asked me if I wanted to sign up,” she recounted. She finds the program a great way to keep a record of what she reads.

Clare and Montaglione praised the Rogers staff for their amiable assistance. Sutter and coworkers offer free bookmarks with lists of suggested books broken down by genre. A popular novel so far has been “The Fever” by Megan Abbott.

Sutter had praise for the local business community. Speaking of the array of donated prizes and merchant support, she said, “It’s been beyond my wildest dreams. Everyone has been so generous.”

The program continues through March 28, with an all-day game event planned for Saturday, April 2, to celebrate the end of the program. New indoor and outdoor game kits (which patrons can check out) will be set up on the lower level of the library for people to play.

People can sign up in person at the library, or online by visiting rmlny12.readsquared.com.