LAKELAND - Public libraries across the Northern Lights Library System (NLLS) are more than a month into the 2022 Winter Reading Program, and while much of the weather since the program’s Jan. 1 launch has been perfect for curling up with a good book, there’s more fun to be had, indoors and outdoors.
Readers of all ages were urged to record the number of hours they have read to enter a draw for one of three Kobo readers or other prizes. Readers age nine and under received one ballot for every three hours read, from age 10 to 16, one for every five hours read, and for 17 and over, one for every seven hours read, and can keep reading and adding more ballots to their total until the contest ends on Feb. 28.
All readers can also join one of three reading teams – Blizzard, Frost or Ice Storm – and watch the columns climb on the Northern Lights website.
Some of the libraries in the area, including Elk Point, received their information about the program late, and Elk Point Municipal Library manager Daphne Schnurer decided to also hand out that library’s own reading logs, so local readers have an extra chance to win. The library also decided to extend the return date for Elk Point’s local reading logs to Tuesday, March 15, “because we had such a late start.”
The Elk Point library will also have some local prizes for both the online and handout programs.
A very exciting part of this year’s program - which is reaching across the region - is the Snow Sculpting Competition, where residents were challenged to build a snowman, carve some ice art or skate a picture onto a snowy lake – the initiative was all about creativity.
The deadline to submit photos of winter sculptures was Jan. 31, and voting has now opened online - putting snow artists up against one another. A gallery of entrants is available for viewing on the NLLS website, along with the opportunity to vote for your top three favourite creations.
Member libraries are also hosting library scavenger hunts, and all you have to do is pick up a hunt card and write down the names of the figures you find hidden on the shelves – who knows what wonderful books you will find during your search!
The NLLS serves libraries from as far north as Wandering River, east to Cold Lake, south to the Wainwright area, and west toward Morinville, along with many communities in between.
