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More than 19,000 Harford County children, teens read nearly 117,000 books
Belcamp, Md., September 25, 2017 — A record 19,096 children and teens participated in Harford County Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge. Collectively they read 116,937 books.
Three schools–Bel Air High School, Fallston Middle School, and Youth’s Benefit Elementary School–received recognition as the high school, middle school and elementary school with the most participants. The schools were honored with a trophy presentation at Harford County Public Library’s board of trustees meeting September 14.
The Summer Reading Challenge, with a theme of “Build a Better World,” took place June 19 through September 2. Children from birth through high school participated.
“We are so proud of our young readers,” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. “Close to 20,000 of them participated in this program, a sizable increase from last year. They read nearly 6,000 more books, too. Instilling and nurturing reading skills is such an important part of childhood and being a young adult. The final numbers show that we are ‘Building a Better World’ through Harford County Public Library’s youngest customers.”
Read to Me Sponsors (for children ages birth through Pre-K) were Aberdeen IronBirds, APGFCU, Bel Air Friends of Harford County Public Library, Darlington Friends of Harford County Public Library, Harford Day School and M & T Bank.
Elementary Sponsors (for children entering kindergarten through fifth grade) were Aberdeen IronBirds, Growing Smiles, HAR-CO, Harford Day School, Huether-McClelland Foundation, Jarrettsville Federal Savings and Loan Association and Maryland 529.
Middle and High School Sponsors (for middle and high schoolers) were Aberdeen IronBirds, Aberdeen Rotary Club, Advanced Eye Care, Berardino Family Trust, Rosedale Federal Savings & Loan, Harford Community College and Wegmans.
Harford County Public Library operates 11 branches located throughout Harford County. The library serves more than 194,000 registered borrowers of all ages and has an annual circulation of more than 4.7 million. September is National Library Card Sign-up Month. Borrowing books and DVDs is only the beginning of what you can do with your library card. For more information, visit hcplonline.org.
Youth’s Benefit Elementary School
Front row from left: Harford County Public Library COO Daria A. Parry, Harford County Public Schools Library Supervisor Patty O’Donnell, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School Media Technician Mary Lou Silagyi, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School Media Specialist Holly Tompkins, Youth’s Benefit Elementary School Media Specialist Kristina Hemmerich, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Chairperson Alex M. Allman, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Nancy A. Brown, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Student Representative Alison N. Smith,Legislative Aide to County Councilman Curtis L. Beulah Lydia R. Brennan and Harford County Public Library CEO Mary Hastler
Back row from left: Harford County Public Library CFO Kathy Cogar, Harford County Public Library Public Services Senior Administrator Beth LaPenotiere, Harford County Public Library Fallston Branch Manager Tracy Miller, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Kenneth R. Avery, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Durbin P. Vido, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dr. William B. Allen and Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dominic C. Cottone
Front row, from left: Harford County Public Library COO Daria A. Parry, Harford County Public Schools Library Supervisor Patty O’Donnell, Fallston Middle School Media Specialist Teresa Plumer, Fallston Middle School Principal Dr. Anthony Bess, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Chairperson Alex M. Allman, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Nancy A. Brown, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Student Representative Alison N. Smith,Legislative Aide to County Councilman Curtis L. Beulah Lydia R. Brennan and Harford County Public Library CEO Mary Hastler
Back row, from left: Harford County Public Library CFO Kathy Cogar, Harford County Public Library Public Services Senior Administrator Beth LaPenotiere, Harford County Public Library Fallston Branch Manager Tracy Miller, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Kenneth R. Avery, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Durbin P. Vido, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dr. William B. Allen and Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dominic C. Cottone
Front row from left: Harford County Public Library COO Daria A. Parry, Harford County Public Schools Library Supervisor Patty O’Donnell, Bel Air High School Media Specialist Jennifer Kukula, Bel Air High School Assistant Principal Dr. Helen E. Miller, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Chairperson Alex M. Allman, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Nancy A. Brown,Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Student Representative Alison N. Smith, Legislative Aide to County Councilman Curtis L. Beulah Lydia R. Brennan and Harford County Public Library CEO Mary Hastler
Front row from left: Harford County Public Library Library Associate II Morgan Michel, Harford County Public Library CFO Kathy Cogar, Harford County Public Library Public Services Senior Administrator Beth LaPenotiere, Harford County Public Library Library Associate I Suzanne Vogtman, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Kenneth R. Avery, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Treasurer Durbin P. Vido, Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dr. William B. Allen and Harford County Public Library Board of Trustees Member Dominic C. Cottone