Invitation to a bookish summer

Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) doesn’t want teens to spend this summer forgetting what they learned this year at school. So for the third year, the library system is sponsoring its Summer Reading for Teens program.

The countywide program for 12-18 year olds offers enticements like gift certificates from Village Books, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels and others. “We think it’s important enough to us to bribe kids,” Theresa Hadley, youth services librarian for WCLS said. “Studies have found that kids who read in the summer do better when they get back to school.”

Students review the books they have read and fill out forms provided by the library with their names on them. The reviews stay in a binder for other teens to see if the book would be something that interests them. The review forms also serve as entries for the prizes.

Locally, the Blaine library, through the Friends of the Library is offering prizes such as waterslide passes and gift certificates for pizza, videos, sandwiches and candy to teen readers. The prizes will be chosen each Friday. The first drawing will be June 15, assistant librarian Patty Macheras at the Blaine branch said.

The WCLS offers a similar program for kids under 12. The participants get to pick a prize out of a treasure chest after submitting five reviews.

The WCLS is also offering amnesty for teens who sign up for this program before July 3. Up to $5 in fines will be forgiven on accounts in arrears.

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