C.H. Booth Library Young Adult librarian Margaret Brown could not be happier about the record level of participation in the Teen Summer Reading program this year.
The 88 students who participated by submitting at least one book summary was more than double the number from any prior summer.
"I always know the teens are reading in the summer, because the shelves empty out, but to have this many get involved in the summer reading is great," Brown said.
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Early in the summer, the Young Adult Council created an eye-catching display that invited people to join in. Brown also made an effort to increase interest.
"I talked to the kids who came up here, whether I knew them or not, and encouraged them to participate and showed them how easy it was," she said.
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The library also made program changes at the suggestion of the council, a group of young adults who meet each month with Brown to discuss books and library programs. For instance, students were allowed to enter raffle tickets they earned for each 50 pages they read into specific prize boxes. In the past, the prizes were drawn randomly. Council members said students would rather choose.
Three of the participants in the summer reading program dropped by the meeting room on Monday to watch as the final group of winners were chosen. Brown and Janet Woycik, the liibrary director, drew the names of each winner.
Haley Williams, 12, waited with anticipation to see who would win the 10 passes to Edmond Town Hall Theater.
"I put all my tickets in there," she said.
She was not a winner, but 11-year-old Amanda Donovan (this Patch contributor's daughter), did win the dozen bagels from Bagel Delight she had her eye on.
Felix Summ was one of the five new participants who joined the very last day, filling out forms on the books that he read on his European vacation just minutes before the final winners were drawn.
Brown shared some of the trends with the students who were present.
Lemony Snicket was the most popular author, with 16 books read. One student read all 13 in the series. Fourteen students read one of the Harry Potter books, 11 reported on a book from the Twilight series.
The most popular book was Unwind by Neal Shusterman.
