Photo: Steve Thurston
Young adult librarian Marie Gentle served ice cream to nearly 200 readers and their families. The event celebrated the completion of summer reading for the students.
What’s a bowl of ice cream worth?
Four books.
At least, that’s what it was worth for the kids (and their families) who showed up to the library’s teen summer reading celebration. Students in middle school and up who registered for the program committed to a goal of reading at least four books over the summer. Those who did, got a bowl of ice cream with all the toppings Thursday night.
The children at the event were automatically given highlighters and were entered to win a raffle of Barnes & Noble bookstore gift cards, books and posters. The readers who brought their bookmarks also had a shot at a $100 Visa gift card.
The event was paid for the by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library.
Youth librarian Lisa Cosgrove-Davies said 1,171 teens registered and 466 met their goals. Another 2,043 from preschool and elementary school met their goals.
That is added good news for The Reading Connection, an Arlington nonprofit dedicated to reading and literacy for at-risk children. For each of the children who met their goals, the Friends is giving The Reading Connection a book. That’s 2,509 books, Cosgrove-Davies said.
“Say thanks to the Friends and tell everyone to buy their books” at the annual used book sale, Cosgrove-Davies said.
The elementary and preschool celebration is set for later this summer. The next Friends of the Library book sale is Sept. 27- 30, in the parking garage of the Arlington Central Library, 1015 N. Quincy St.
