The 2012 Dream Big National Summer Reading Program was a tremendous success.
This year, there were 2,357 patrons registered for summer reading.
The summer readers were patrons of all ages all over Lycoming County.
We had parents and teachers committing to reading to young children, school-age children, as well as teens and adults all celebrating their love of reading.
The James V. Brown Library offered 313 youth service programs that were eagerly attended by 6,236 people during eight fun-filled weeks.
Serving as a bustling downtown Williamsport community resource center, 253 of these programs were at the library.
More than 800 books will be given away to children in our community from the reading efforts of 369 adults who participated in reading this summer.
Eleven early childhood facilities were given complete sets of the 2012 Baker's Dozen Books as noted from the PA Center for the Book as the Best Children's Books for Family Literacy.
These early childhood libraries were given for teacher's commitments to sharing 56 books with their classes this summer.
Parents and teachers were given James V. Brown Read to Me bags, with art work designed by illustrator Will Hillenbrand, to safely carry all those precious books home and back to the classrooms.
Alana Watson and Brittany Route won the third annual bookmark contest winners using the summer reading theme as their inspiration. Their artwork will be available all year as the official bookmark at the customer service desks.
Every school-age student who participated in summer reading received a certificate for tickets to a family show during the Community Arts Center upcoming season. Hepburn-Lycoming, Schick and Central Elementary schools were the three brightest stars this summer for participation in summer reading.
The grand-prize winners of a Barnes and Noble Color Nook for the teens was Diana Connelly, and for the adults it was Kathy Rooker.
James V. Brown Library patrons love to read.
More than 24,330 books were enjoyed during the summer reading program. Our big dreams came true this summer.
We are building a community of readers' one book at a time.
