Photo courtesy of the Union County Carnegie Library Rhonda Hollingsworth reacts after her name was drawn for a Barnes & Noble E-Reader "Nook," the Grand Prize of the Union County Carnegie Library's Adult Summer Reading Program.

slideshow

Photo courtesy of the Union County Carnegie Library The five participants in the Union County Carnegie Library's Adult Summer Reading Program each received a Wal-Mart Gift Card. Here the winners, from left to right, Wanda Ward, Anthony Bedore, Donna Owings, Karen Gregory and Rhonda Hollingsworth, hold their prizes.

slideshow

Photo courtesy of the Union County Carnegie Library Rhonda Hollingsworth, right, Grand Prize winner of the Adult Summer Reading Contest, poses for a picture with Union County Carnegie Library Director Ben Loftis.

slideshow

A contest that challenged adults to read over the course of the summer attracted 57 participants who read a total of 597 books came to an end this week with a celebration that recognized and rewarded the most prolific readers.

The Adult Summer Reading Contest was the newest summer reading program offered by the Union County Carnegie Library. Traditionally, the library’s summer reading programs have been geared toward children and teenagers. These programs continued this summer, but the library also offered an Adult Summer Reading Program that not only challenged adults to read but also encouraged participants with families to read with their children as well. The program also provided participants with the opportunity to participate craft classes.

Participants also had the opportunity to win one of seven prizes awarded each week by writing a brief description of how they’d enjoyed the book they’d read. Each Wednesday, a member of the Union Rotary Club drew the names of the winners, three of whom each received a totebag while the other four each received a gift card from either McDonald’s or Dairi-O.

Rotary donated $2,500 in support of the program which the library used to purchase the totebags and the materials used in the craft classes.The funds were also used to purchase books for general use by the library’s adult patrons.

Also supporting the program was Wal-Mart, which donated $1,000.

The program came to its conclusion Tuesday afternoon when the library held the Adult Summer Reading Final Event. The event, which also served as fundraiser for the library, recognized those who participated in the program, particularly its five most prolific readers, each of whom was awarded a Wal-Mart Gift Card.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, the library announced that the program’s five most prolific readers were Anthony Bedore, Karen Gregory, Rhonda Hollingsworth, Donna Owings and Wanda Ward.

In addition to receiving a Wal-Mart Gift Card, Hollingsworth was also the winner of the Grand Prize Drawing for a Barnes & Noble E-Reader ‘Nook.’

There were also drawings for door prizes for program participants with the winners receiving coupons from McDonald’s, Dairi-O and Pizza Hut.

Another of the program’s sponsors, Lancaster Big Oak BBQ, supplied the library with barbecue which was sold as a fundraiser for the library. The library raised more than $100 from sales of the barbecue. The funds will be used to help support library programs.

Director Ben Loftis thanked the sponsors and others for their support of the program and said the library was planning more such activities for its adult patrons in the future.

“I’d like to thank all the participants and our sponsors, the Rotary Club of Union, Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Lancaster’s Big Oak BBQ and the Dairi-O for making the Adult Summer Reading Program such a great success,” Loftis said. “In addition to the contest, we also had craft programs for adults during the summer. Thanks also to the Friends of the Library for their assistance in setting up the event and providing refreshments afterward and a special thanks to Circulation Supervisor Pat Jones who was in charge of the program and other staff members for their contributions to the summer reading program. We look forward to more adult programs in the coming months.”

Loftis said that the other adult programs are still in the planning stages, but that the library again offer the Adult Summer Reading Program in addition to the programs for children and teenagers.

“We’re thrilled with the participation in the summer reading program this year,” Loftis said. “We’re excited about continuing to grow the program in the coming year.”

For more information about the Union County Carnegie Library, its programs and services, call 427-7140.