16 Oct Mattel Barbies Made The Perfect Gift for Young Readers

DONATION: MATTEL BARBIES

LIVES IMPACTED: 15

Pomfret Public Library provides library services to a rural village of about 4,000 people in northeastern Connecticut. Our mission is to enrich community members by providing resources and programs that promote intellectual curiosity and life-long learning in a welcoming environment.

We received a donation of Mattel Barbies that we used as incentives for our summer reading program. All children who participate in the program are given “Book Bucks” when they spend a certain number of hours reading over the summer. They then are able to exchange their Book Bucks for anything they like from our prize inventory, from toys to school supplies and more.

Studies have shown that students lose up two months of progress in reading skills over the summer. Providing them with Book Bucks and fun incentives like these Barbie dolls encourages them to read for pleasure while maintaining their reading skills and even developing financial management skills.

The Bubble-tastic Mermaid Barbie Dolls were a very popular item! Several of our girls spent at least 15 hours reading this summer and were able to save up their Book Bucks for the reward of a Mermaid Barbie. When they play with their Barbies, they will remember the pleasure they had in visiting the library, reading the books of their choice, and the reward of receiving something that they worked for on their own. This was not just a simple donation, it was so much more!

Website: www.pomfretlibrary.org