Bookworms encouraged to take on summer reading challenge (From Croydon Guardian)
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Bookworms encouraged to take on summer reading challenge
7:00am Sunday 24th June 2012 in News
Croydon Council's annual reading challenge starts next month
Bookworms are being encouraged to read their way through summer.
Next month Croydon Council will launch their annual six-book reading challenge, with incentives for adults to pick up and read half a dozen books between July and September.
Challenge bookmarks are given to participants and readers have to get them stamped every time they return their books. A maximum of two stamps can be given at any one time.
Collecting all six stamps automatically entitles entrants to a free Croydon library DVD rental, and also enters them into a prize draw for a £25 voucher.
Of the six books read, at least one must be non-fiction and another should be a full novel.
Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member for children, young people and learning, said: "With the weather we are having this summer a lot of people may find themselves looking for things to do indoors, so a few visits to a local library might be just the way to stay out of the rain."
Elizabeth A says...
9:24pm Sun 24 Jun 12
I read all last Summer but my bookmark was only stamped once. Hard pushed staff were too busy coping with the short-staffed library to promote this scheme and residents did not want to add to the burden of their workload.
The children's summer reading scheme was even worse and the true impact of this will surely show this year. Although many signed up, a large number rarely if ever returned because of the chaos, including cancelled events due to lack of volunteers.Will people turn up this year? Many doubt it.
The opportunity to volunteer has already been widened from 16 - 25 year olds to just 16+ years in order to attract more volunteers. With only a month to go it is difficult to envisage how enhanced CRB checks will be obtained and training given. Many suspect neither will take place as there is no mention of either on application form or information leaflet.
Perhaps the Guardian could put these points to Cllr Pollard as no one from the council is engaging with residents or library campaigners.