The Heart of the Three Village Community
Author Archive
Kids Summer Reading – Log those books!
2024 Kids Summer Reading Challenge (SRC) – Read any books you want! Win Prizes!
For Newborns – those entering 6th Grade in September…
⭐️Special early registration raffle prizes if you register by June 30!⭐️More raffle prizes at the end of SRC!⭐️Prize bags given to ALL KIDS who complete SRC!
- Click here to register. Registration is ongoing throughout the summer. You don’t need to register by a certain date, BUT if you register by June 30 you will be entered into special registration raffles! (see below for more info)
- You may use the computer or download the Beanstack app (available on iTunes or Google Play stores). Once registered, you can even log books through the Amazon Echo device (“Alexa”)! See blue links below for more info. If you are unsure about how to do it online, call the Children’s Department at 631.941.4080 ext.123.
- Every child who finishes SRC will get a prize bag (each child must read at least 7 books to complete the challenge). Prize bags will be available starting Monday, August 5. SRC ends on Sunday, August 18.
- We’ll also have raffle prizes at the end of SRC! The kids will be able to earn an eTicket each week, and raffle tickets can be entered into the system for any of the prizes they choose. Kids may enter all different raffles, or all the same, however they want to distribute their tickets. Tickets will be pulled, and winners will be announced at the end of SRC after Sunday, August 18. Listing of raffle prizes here!
- Prefer paper? Click here to print out a paper log.
Click here for our handy “Frequently Asked Questions”
Click here for instructions on the app.
Click here for instructions on how to use the Amazon Echo (“Alexa”) to log Summer Reading.
Register by June 30 and enter to win one of our special early registration raffles:
- Prize #1:
- Two Free Passes to Adventureland Amusement Park
- Two Free Kids’ Ice Cream Sundaes at Applebee’s
- Coupons to Monster Chicken
- Special Prize Bag
- Children’s Book
- Prize #2:
- Signed baseball and voucher for 4 tickets for the Long Island Ducks 2025 season
- Two Free Kids’ Ice Cream Sundaes at Applebee’s
- Coupons to Monster Chicken
- Special Prize Bag
- Children’s Book
- Prize #3:
- Two Free Days of Summer Camp at Silver Stars Gymnastics
- Two Free Kids’ Ice Cream Sundaes at Applebee’s
- Coupons to Monster Chicken
- Special Prize Bag
- Children’s Book
- Prize #4:
- Two Free Tickets to Splish Splash Water Park
- Two Free Kids’ Ice Cream Sundaes at Applebee’s
- Coupons to Monster Chicken
- Special Prize Bag
- Children’s Book
Show your School Spirit and win the EMMA CUP!
The school that has the highest percentage of children that sign up for AND finish SRC (each child must read at least 7 books to complete the program) will have their school’s name engraved on the trophy. This friendly competition is always a lot of fun each year!
Did you submit your child’s photos for the Summer Reading decorations? We have them up in our Children’s Department! We’ll also be posting photos on our Facebook and Instagram pages, so be sure to be on the lookout there!
What are the benefits of using the Beanstack program? Besides acting as an online book log (think of it as a “Fitbit for Reading”), there are other benefits to recording what you’ve read via the website, app, or Alexa, such as weekly book recommendations based on your child’s age, reading level, and interests. Parents and children will also be able to view themed guides on topics of interest (ranging from “Let’s Explore Rainbows” to “Stargazing”). When the child logs their books read, he/she will receive colorful electronic badges and earn raffle tickets for the many baskets that can be won this summer. Kids will also have the option to write book reviews and read learning tips for each book selected.
Emma Clark Library would like to thank the following businesses that support the Library and our community by donating gift cards and merchandise for Kids and Teens Summer Reading raffle prizes:
- Adventureland Amusement Park
- The Adventure Park of Long Island
- Applebee’s
- The Argyle Theatre
- Ben’s Garden
- The Bench
- Chico’s Tex Mex
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- College 101 Resource Center
- Crazy Beans
- D.J.’s Clam Shack
- Domo Sushi
- Druthers Coffee
- Embody Massage & Wellness
- Evolve Bank & Trust Mortgage – Janice Schweiger
- Faith Czarnecki at Travelista Travels
- John Braile Photography
- Kumon Learning Center
- Level Up Kitchen Library Cafe
- Long Island Ducks
- Long Island Explorium
- The Long Island Museum
- Luigi’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
- North Shore Properties Realty – Gina Lollo
- O Sole Mio Ristorante Pizzeria
- Panera Bread
- Paumanok Tours
- Port Jeff Bowl
- Port Jefferson Cinemas
- Port Jefferson Photography Club
- The Rinx
- Rolling Pin Bakery
- Setauket Gourmet Delicatessen & Caterers
- Silver Stars Gymnastics
- Sonic
- S.N. and Kamal Sridhar
- Splish Splash Water Park
- Staller Center for the Arts
- Stony Brook Pizza
- Súp Vietnamese Phở & Grill
- Urban Air
- Via Pizza
- Xplore Family Fun Center
Emma Clark employees, trustees, and members of their household are not eligible to enter contests/raffles.
Any other questions? Email kids@emmaclark.org
Drop-In Events & Activities for Kids
These events and activities don’t require pre-registration, but they do guarantee lots of fun! Save these dates:
Star Wars Day
Saturday, May 9, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Enjoy carnival games with a Star Wars twist and enter our raffle contest. Children are encouraged to wear a Star Wars or space-themed costume. Fun for families with children up to grade 5.
Spring Spectacular
Wednesday, May 27, 10:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Hop on over to the Library for a spring bash bursting with fun! We’ll have spring crafts, games, and contests indoors, Plus the Suffolk County Libraries’ Bus, music, and more waiting for you outside (weather permitting). Fun for families with children ages 3 – 11 years old.
Crafternoon
Saturday, May 30, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Get creative with upcycled materials to make your very own work of art. Ages 3 – 11 years old with parent/caregiver.
Crafternoon
Thursday, June 25, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. (School Half Day)
Get creative with upcycled materials to make your very own work of art. Ages 3 – 11 years old with parent/caregiver.
Questions? Email kids@emmaclark.org
Adventureland Discount Tickets
Tickets for the 2026 season are coming soon!
We have a limited number of discount tickets to Adventureland! Tickets are $35.00 (admission is typically $51.50 for ages 2 – 24 and $39.50 for ages 25+). They include access to the park and unlimited rides all day. Please note: Tickets are only valid for the 2026 summer season, June 1 – October 5. Parking is free.
Purchase tickets at the Circulation Desk in the Library’s lobby. As with all of our discounted tickets, purchasers must have valid Emma Clark Library cards; payment may be made by cash, check, or credit card; and families may purchase up to 4 tickets per month.
We also have discounted tickets to The Adventure Park, American Museum of Natural History, and the Long Island Aquarium. For more information, please click here.
Supplies are limited. Some restrictions apply. All purchases are non-refundable. All sales are final.
Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org
New! Resources for College Admissions
New for teens, parents, or anyone headed to college! CollegeNow by Brainfuse is an online resource useful for the college admissions process & free with your library card. You may access it anytime, and from anywhere!
Get access to:
• Live Guidance Counselor
• Expert Review for Admissions Essays
• Application Resources
• Financial Aid Resources
• Admission Interview Resources
Click here to find all of Brainfuse’s resources, including CollegeNow!
Questions? Email askus@emmaclark.org
Winners Announced for the 10 Year Anniversary of the Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest
Setauket, NY – March 7, 2024 –
It’s been a decade of delightful talent and creativity! Emma Clark Library and the family of the late Helen Stein Shack have been showcasing junior high and high school students in our Three Village community since 2015 through an annual contest. The Library has recently revealed the winners of the 10th annual Helen Stein Shack Picture Book Contest:
First Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Danny’s Birthday by Elizabeth Wright (9th grader at Gelinas Junior High School)
First Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Billy the Unusual Giraffe by Julia Hou (10th grader at Ward Melville High School)
Second Prize (Grades 7 – 9 category): Our Trip to Estonia by Juni Een (Homeschooled 8th grader)
Second Prize (Grades 10 – 12 category): Sleepless Saturday by Claire Sloniewsky and Justine Bushman (both 11th graders at Ward Melville High School)
Each of the winning entries has their own unique artwork and storylines geared towards young children. Danny’s Birthday by Elizabeth Wright is a charming story with bright watercolor and pen drawings of a dog named Danny and all of his friends. Billy the Unusual Giraffe by Julia Hou uses a positive reframing technique, told in a simple manner for children. A giraffe discouraged by his short neck soon realizes all the things he can do with it, rather than its limitations. Our Trip to Estonia by Juni Een teaches children about another country & culture through watercolor and pen illustrations and easy text for children. A collaborative book, Sleepless Saturday by Claire Sloniewsky and Justine Bushman, has delicate drawings and tells the tale of two cats looking for the sun, which has gone missing! Will they find it?
Contest winners will be celebrated at a private awards ceremony on Monday, April 8, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. Each First Prize award recipient will receive a $400 scholarship, and each Second Prize award recipient will receive a $100 scholarship. For those that are a collaborative effort, the prize money will be split between the author and the illustrator. The newly bound books – made into hardcover by the Library – will have the honor of being added to the Library’s Local Focus Collection, and winners will also receive copies of their books to cherish in their own home libraries. Light refreshments will be served at the reception, generously donated by The Bite Size Bake Shop and Level Up Kitchen Library Café. Past ceremonies have had Library Board members, teachers and top school district administrators from Three Village, as well as elected officials from New York State, Suffolk County, and the Town of Brookhaven, all in attendance to honor the winners.
Emma Clark Library is thrilled to celebrate this beloved milestone for the community.
The Helen Stein Shack Book Contest called for teens in grades 7 through 12 who live in the Three Village Central School District to create a children’s picture book. Each entry could be the work of a single author/illustrator or a collaborative effort of an author and an illustrator. The contest was divided into two grade categories, grades 7 through 9 and grades 10 through 12, with one First Prize Winner and one Second Prize Winner selected from each group.
This award is given in memory of Helen Stein Shack by her family. As a teacher, Mrs. Shack was committed to the education of children, and she especially loved literature written for them. She was a frequent visitor to Emma Clark Library where, even in retirement, she kept current with the latest children’s books. The Library is grateful to the children of the late Mrs. Shack who have established a substantial endowment with the Library to cover the cost of the prizes.
The Emma S. Clark Memorial Library, located at 120 Main Street in Setauket and online at www.emmaclark.org, provides public library service to all residents of the Three Village Central School District.
“The Heart of the Three Village Community”
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The Heart of the Three Village Community
