Thursday, June 18, 2009

So Many Books

The Summer Reading Program has officially started at the library, and kids are signing up like crazy at both libraries. We've made some changes in the program, simplifying it and aligning the reading requirements with what reading experts recommend. That means no more 100 books to get the Mayor's Award--unless you really want to. Experts say reading 1/2 hour a day is all you need to maintain or improve your skills, and that translates into 44 books or 22 hours of reading over the course of the program.

We're also excited to be giving away four bikes as grand prizes, thanks to the generosity of the Peninsular Lodge #85. We've never been able to offer truly grand prizes, and we hope the possibility of winning a bike will inspire more kids to read more than ever. We'll also be handing out Library Champion yard signs again, so if you didn't get yours last year you've got another chance.

Meanwhile, I'm looking at a stack of books I want to read that's getting precariously high. I'm always torn between working in my garden and reading. And I still have to finish The Omnivore's Dilemma for my next book club meeting before I can even start working my way through the pile on my nightstand.