Reading club numbers soar

7/5/2002

Youth participation in the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library's 2002 Summer Reading Club is up 30 percent from 2001.

After one week, 6,219 youths, from pre-school to eighth grade had signed up for the club. Club 912, for high school age readers, had 195 teens, up 126 from 2001 when the program began.

This year's participation is the highest in the last three years. The library wants to reach 12,000 readers in the club by the end of the program, spokesman Chris Kozak said. Readers can continue to sign up for the club throughout the summer.

The club is divided into pre-school through eighth grade, teenage, and adult reading groups.

Children keep track of the time they spend reading, or that other people spend reading to them. When they reach one, four, eight, 12, and 24 hours, they receive prizes.

The summer reading club runs until Aug. 3. It is available at all the branches, and is free. For more information contact the library or visit www.toledolibrary.org