Ellsworth Public Library

Kids’ Special Programs at the Library

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Welcome to Our Family Place Library: Where Kids’ Learning Begins

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Our library is a recognized Family Place Library. The Family Place Libraries ™ initiative promotes a national model for transforming public libraries into welcoming, developmentally appropriate early learning environments for very young children, their parents and caregivers.

Based on research about the importance of early brain development, the Family Place Library supports the essential role of parents as first teachers and addresses the physical, social, emotional and cognitive aspects of child development to help build a foundation for learning during the critical first years of life.

By partnering and working with other social, health and educational services providers, the Family Place model aims to ensure that all children enter school ready and able to learn and positions libraries as key early childhood and family support organizations within the local community.

Explore Our Current Early Literacy Programs


We offer a variety of children’s library programs tailored to different age groups. These are our recurring early literacy programs:


Afterschool Programs at the Ellsworth Public Library

During the 2025/26 school year, we are offering a broad after-school program. Our After-School events are a great way to unwind and learn new skills. It’s perfect for kids who want to try something new in a relaxed and friendly environment. Please be aware that some of these events require registration to help us better prepare and/or because spots are limited.


1st and 3rd Monday of the month from 3 – 5 PM: Paws for Tales (registration necessary)

1st Friday of the month between 2 – 4 PM: Lego at the Library (drop in any time)
2nd Friday of the month at 3 PM: Afterschool Workshops with 4-H (please check the calendar)
3rd Friday of the month at 3 PM: changing special programs (please check our calendar)
4th Friday of the month at 3 PM: Speed Puzzling for Kids

Please browse our calendar to see what other programs we are hosting during the remainder of the school year of 2025/26.

Don’t miss our intergenerational Chess Gatherings on the 4th Saturday of the month at 9 AM (facilitated by Patrick So from the Ellsworth Chess Club) and special events during the week as well as on Saturdays!


Homeschool Hour at the Ellsworth Public Library

Learn, Create, and Connect!

Join us for Homeschool Hour, a fun and welcoming space for homeschool families to come together and explore new themes each week! Whether it’s hands-on activities, creative projects, or discovering something new, there’s always something exciting in store. Homeschool Hour isn’t just about learning—it’s also a great way to meet and connect with other families in the homeschool community.

Come hang out, make new friends, and enjoy a supportive environment designed just for you. All ages are welcome to participate, and we can’t wait to see what we’ll explore next!

Below are dates and themes for the remaining 2025/26 school year:

We Are Here to Ignite A Love For Reading

“Leaders across Maine are working to improve student literacy like Ellsworth Public Library Director Sarah Lesko who said her library implements interactive programs where students can receive rewards for participating.

‘If kids don’t love reading, they’re not going to want to do it so I think a public library plays an important role in helping kids love reading,’ Lesko said.”

Reading Dragons & Friends (Grades K – 12)

Since our youth librarian, Jean Pauly, kicked off the Reading Dragons Challenge on October 5, more than 150 young patrons between 5 and 15 have signed up for the program.

You can join other participants from Hancock, Lamoine, Ellsworth, Surry, Mt. Desert, Trenton, Bucksport, Hampden, Franklin, Cherryfield, Beech Hill, Gouldboro, Winterport, Brooksville, Cave Hill, and Otis and are enrolled in public, private, and community schools as well as in homeschool programs.

Reading Dragon Cards are collectible and playable. They feature mythical creatures like dragons, unicorns, griffins, and more. This program is a fantastic way to motivate kids to read and build positive reading habits. For every 30 minutes read, they will receive a Dragon (or magical creature) card.

Read more about Jean’s motivation to bring Reading Dragons the Ellsworth Public Library here: Slay the Dragon – Library Program encourages kids to conquer reading (ellsworthamerican.com | by William Tracy | 11 December 2024).

Mark your calendars: We are hosting our 3rd Reading Dragons Tournament on February 21 at 11 AM.

Reading Dragons is a collaborative national reading program originally created by the Dover Public Library in Ohio.

Seasonal Reading Challenges: Glide Into Literacy (ages 2 – 5, Open to Anyone who Reads Picture Books)


We are excited to announce a new winter reading initiative for young children and their families. This season, come in to register for our Winter Early Literacy Challenge: GLIDE Into Literacy. The challenge presents 50 categories of books to read with your little one between now and the first day of spring.  Can you read all 50? Can you complete one or more rows or columns?  Make the challenge your own, and most importantly FUN as you explore the library and discover new authors, illustrators, and topics together!

Bring in the booklet to show how many you have completed and receive a tote bag and a patch.  Once you have received your tote bag, you can add more patches with each challenge you participate in.

***If you haven’t brought in your “Fall Into Literacy” booklet, you have until the end of January.

Discover Items suitable for Kids in Our Library of Things

Our Library of Things is a treasure trove of resources, including lawn games, tools, book club kits, puzzles, themed explorer kits, STEM boxes, board games, and more. A special feature is our Storytime Kits. These kits are perfect for parents, grandparents, or caregivers looking to enhance storytime with new books and engaging activities, including a variety of materials such as books, puppets, props, rhymes, or crafts.

We are working on making all Library of Things items available online through our catalog. You can browse the kids items here.

6 Reasons to Check out our Storytime Kits

Need inspiration?

Do you need help picking out new books to read?  Personalized reading lists are designed to help readers ages 8-18 find great new books! Simply complete this form and within 7 days your list will be emailed to you. Happy reading!


Easy Ways to Learn about our Special Kids’ Events

To discover our special one-off and longer-running events, please

Some programs may require registration. We encourage you to check our calendar regularly. For more information, contact us via email at info [at] ellsworthlibrary.net or call us at 207.667.6363.

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