WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Billionaire investor and Shark Tank personality Mark Cuban has announced his sponsorship of the Second Annual Beanstack Winter Reading Challenge in support of public libraries and school systems throughout the United States. This year, Mr. Cuban challenges over 250 schools and libraries, more than double that of the inaugural Winter Reading Challenge, to meet a collective goal of reading at least five million minutes and 75,000 books during the month of January. If achieved, Cuban pledges to donate $35,000 to the top-performing libraries and schools.
Participating libraries will use Beanstack, a web and mobile application, to track self-directed reading time and help build a culture of reading in school and at home. The software makes it easier for students and families to track reading and stay motivated while providing insights and data about reading habits to school and library administrators.
"Now, more than ever, we are distracted by screens and don't take the time to simply read. But research shows the power of reading for as little as 6-minutes a day and I personally make time to read every morning," says Cuban. "This Winter Reading Challenge gives us the opportunity to inspire people around the world to read more. What better resolution to have than to start the New Year with a good book!"
USING CUTTING EDGE SOFTWARE TO TRACK READING
The Beanstack software platform and mobile application, from parent company Zoobean, makes it easier for librarians, educators, and readers to customize, participate in, and gain insights from reading challenges. It can also suggest book titles readers might enjoy based on their interests and reading "doorways." Cuban became an investor in Zoobean after the founders impressed him with their vision on Shark Tank in 2013. Less than five years after the show aired, Beanstack now serves over 1000 library and school systems globally.
"We believe deeply that reading is to the brain as exercise is to the body. It has the unique power to transform lives and communities," says Zoobean co-founder and Chief Client Success Officer, Jordan Lloyd Bookey. "The Winter Reading Challenge helps our partners activate their communities to read more in 2019 and into the future." School and public librarians will set up their Winter Reading Challenge programs on Beanstack's platform, each with its own unique design. Participants will log their time spent reading and books read throughout the month of January on their library's individual Beanstack site.
PRIZE MONEY GOES TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES
This year, all prize money will be divided directly among the top performing schools and libraries. Prizes are awarded based on four elements: outreach, active participation, logging numbers, and community (social) sharing. "Libraries are the heartbeat of their schools and communities, and we are thrilled to directly support their work with this challenge," says Lloyd Bookey.
Cuban will announce the results of the second annual Winter Reading Challenge this February.
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES INCLUDE THOSE LISTED BELOW:
District of Columbia Public Schools (All Schools)
Pasadena Independent School District (All Schools)
Escambia County School District (All Schools)
Alexandria Middle School
Menasha Joint School District
North Hunterdon High School
Northview Middle School
Adams County Library System
Alexandria Library
Allen County Public Library
Anne West Lindsey District Library
Balch Springs Library-Learning Center
Birmingham Public Library
Bud Werner Memorial Library
Calvert Library
Carlsbad City Library
Carmel Clay Public Library
Cedar Rapids Public Library
Charles County Public Library
Cheney Library
Christian County Library
City of Commerce Public Library
Clark Public Library
Commerce Township Public Library
Community Library
Coronado Public Library
Crandall Public Library
Dauphin County Library System
Daviess County Public Library
Dougherty County Public Library
Dover Public Library
Durham County Library
Effingham public Library
Englewood Public Library
Folsom Public Library
Forest Park Public Library
Forsyth County Public Library
Fort Lee Public Library
Guilderland Public Library
Handley Regional Library
Hawaii State Public Library System
Homewood Public Library
Huntington Beach Public Library
Huntington Public Library
Irondale Public Library
John P. Holt Brentwood Library
Keene Memorial Library
Kenosha Public Library
Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
Lincoln City Libraries
Live Oak Public Libraries
MacDonald Public Library
Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
McMinnville Public Library
Milford Public Library
Mount Vernon City Library
New Cumberland Public Library
Novi Public Library
Nutley Public Library
Oceanside Public Library
Orange County Library System
Oswego Public Library District
Paramus Public Library
Petersburg Public Library
Plainfield Public Library District
Prince George's County Memorial Library System
Pulaski County Library District
Ralston's Baright Public Library
Ridgefield Park Public Library
Samuels Public Library
Sanibel Public Library
Sarasota County Libraries
Schaumburg Township District Library
Schenectady County Library
Scott County Library
Shreve Memorial Library
Six Mile Regional Library District
Springfield Public Library
Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library
Stuart-Hobson Middle School
Suffolk Public Library
Teaneck Public Library
Tipp City Public Library
Uintah County Library
USAG Daegu Walker Library
Vail Public LIbrary
Wicomico Public Libraries
Wilbraham Public Library
Woodland Public Library
York County Library
ABOUT BEANSTACK
Beanstack (http://www.beanstack.com) helps educators and librarians create, manage, and measure reading challenges. Using a website customized to each school or library and an easy-to-use mobile app, Beanstack makes it easier to track reading, keep readers motivated, and gain actionable insights.
SOURCE Beanstack
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