Schoolchildren do it all the time. Reading. For fun. And maybe even prizes. But how often do adults do it? Probably not as often for fun. And even less often for prizes.
As an incentive to get adults to read, four San Luis Obispo County libraries are offering up a challenge: Read 10 books and win some prizes. So sign up, cozy up, and grab a seat by the fire—it’s reading time.
The Adult Winter Reading Challenge is themed “Master the Art of Reading.” And much the same way schools get children to participate in reading by offering rewards, the adult challenge is dangling a carrot as well. Adults who sign up have until April 15 to read 10 books and claim their prize.
Though other San Luis Obispo County libraries participated in a similar event last year, Lesley Corbus, branch manager of the Nipomo Library, said this is Nipomo’s first time.
“I’m really excited about giving this a try,” Corbus said. “We’re crossing our fingers.”
The reading challenge began Jan. 15 and runs for three months. Adults are challenged to read one book from each of 10 different categories: an American classic, a self-help or do-it-yourself book, a biography or autobiography, a book and the companion movie or audiobook, a teen or young adult fiction book, a National Book Award winner, a mystery, a nonfiction science book or science fiction book, a fiction or non-fiction book about art, and a book of the participant’s choice. At the end of the challenge, the readers collect prizes and are entered into a raffle for more prizes to take place April 16.
Adults can sign up any time—right up through the last week of the challenge, as many people read a book a night, Corbus said. Believe it or not.
Arroyo Grande Library saw about 50 people sign up last year and is expecting more this year, said Rosalyn Pierini, supervising librarian at the Arroyo Grande library.
“It’s all just a lot of fun and something to beat away the winter doldrums,” she explained.
For some, it’s even a bonding experience. Pierini said she got a letter from one participant last year who was living in a house with several generations. They said participating in the reading program brought their family together.
“It was just a very moving, very touching letter,” Pierini said.
She noted that the adult winter reading program was inspired by the summer reading club for kids, which uses a theme to inspire children to read.
“We’ve had adults say, ‘Oh, why can’t we do this?’” Pierini said. “So we did.”
Though adults have to sign up for the program and check in at the end, it’s otherwise a self-paced personal challenge—but remember: The librarians at any of the four participating branches are ready to help suggest reading selections.
“You don’t have to write a book report on it or anything; it’s on the honor system,” Pierini said.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone reads the labels. Send her the definition of butylated hydroxyanisole at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 21-28, 2010.