28/4/2009 - Library open evening for book challenge participants

Carlisle library is holding a special open evening for participants of the Six Book Challenge - an annual national initiative aimed at getting people into the habit of reading books.

The open evening is being held during Adult Learners Week on Wednesday May 13 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm to support local employers participating in the challenge.

The challenge is to read six books between January and June 2009, recording these books in a small reading diary with a star rating. People who achieve this are given a certificate for their achievement and have the chance to enter a prize draw to win an expenses-paid trip to London.

Local employers have got involved to help develop their workforce. In Carlisle, the library service is actively running the challenge with Carlisle City Council and Copeland occupational and social centres in Cleator Moor and Maryport.

Cumbria NHS Partnership Trust, the Fire Brigade Union and Carlisle Job Centre Plus are also running the challenge with employees.

Liz Bowe, Library Operations Manager for Cumbria County, said:

"The open evening is being held to assist all those taking part in the Six Book Challenge and is being held when the library is closed so that challenge groups have exclusive use. 

"We will be offering a tour of the library, free PC use and a demonstration of the BBC RaW Money website, a quiz with prizes, story-time and craft activities for children as well as free coffee, biscuits and juice and goody bags to take home. We will also be offering a free DVD loan for anyone joining the library on the night.

"There are specially selected collections of books in Carlisle and Harraby Libraries for the participants to choose from, and as they progress through the challenge there are incentives such as mugs, pens and key rings."

Taking part in the challenge has been proven to give people more confidence with books and in reading and helps develop a reading habit. For employers this helps to contribute to a more literate and up-skilled workforce.

Reading can also have many therapeutic effects so could lead to employees feeling less stressed, having a greater sense of well being as well as increased confidence levels which can be of huge benefit to local businesses.

Around 7,000 people across the UK took part in the challenge in 2008 through libraries, colleges, adult learning, family learning and workplaces.

ENDS

Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 226332