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Youth services librarian Mel Johnston details 'Thousand Books Before Kindergarten' revamp
Summary
Mel Johnston, youth services librarian at Central, described updates to Thousand Books Before Kindergarten: online registration via an embedded form, milestone changes from every 100 to every 250 books, a new completion tote and graduation ceremonies; the program had 428 registrations between 2020–2023.
Mel Johnston, youth services librarian at Central, told the board the Thousand Books Before Kindergarten program launched in October 2020, initially used the Beanstack app and recorded 428 registrations between 2020 and 2023. Johnston said the library moved from the Beanstack contract to in-person registration in 2023 and has now reintroduced online sign-up via an embedded form on the library website to simplify registration for patrons.
"The goal is to read 1000 books with your child before they enter kindergarten," Johnston said, describing the program's purpose to build early literacy and confidence in young readers. To improve completion rates and prize quality, Johnston explained the library changed milestone rewards from every 100 books to every 250 books, reduced the number of interim prizes and reallocated resources toward higher-value completion prizes including a picture book, a new tote using the program logo and a completion certificate.
Johnston said the library will continue to use paper reading logs collected at the branch when families pick up prizes, while offering QR codes linking to the Thousand Books Foundation app for participants who prefer to track specific titles. She noted the May 16 "graduation" pilot had nine children and that Friends of the Library, Altrusa of Garland and a Walmart grant helped fund graduation gowns and completion items.
Board members asked about outreach and promotion; Johnston said the library is using social media, in-house displays, flyers and branch outreach and welcomed partner help (including schools and churches) to expand reach.
