Library staff rise to the challenge (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon library staff rise to the challenge

11:10am Friday 31st August 2012 in News

SWINDON Council’s library service has been given an award for supporting people to complete the Six Book Challenge.

The challenge, run by the Reading Agency, invites less confident readers to read six books and record it in a diary.

Those taking part are supported with incentives and rewarded with a certificate and the chance to win prizes, including book tokens, eReaders or an all-expenses-paid night out in London.

After encouraging almost 100 people to complete the challenge, the council’s library service has received a bronze award and will receive a certificate at an event marking five years of the challenge, which will be held in London in November and attended by authors Adele Parks and Andy McNab.

Coun Keith Williams, the cabinet member for leisure and corporate services, who is responsible for the borough’s libraries, said: “I am thrilled our library staff have been rewarded for the tremendous amount of hard work they have put in to encourage people to take part in the Six Book Challenge.

“It is a great way of reminding people that reading is a fun pastime and I hope many more people take up the challenge next year.”

Details about the Challenge are at www.sixbookchallenge.org.uk or www.swindon.gov.uk/libraries.