Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is gearing up for a fun summer by challenging residents to collectively read 90,000 books by Aug. 31.
A grand garden party with musical performances and puppet shows kicked off the 16th annual Summer Reading Extravaganza on Sunday. Many of the festival attendees participated in the reading marathon in past years, proof that it is a fulfilling experience and new readers will not regret enrolling.
The initiative will be especially great for students because it will help to check the “summer slide” — the learning loss that occurs when school is out — and keep them sharp for the next academic year. In addition, reading about others’ experiences is a great way to cultivate empathy for those with different backgrounds.
It’s easy to sign up for the challenge at carnegielibrary.org/summer. One can log books of all forms and genres and set personal reading targets. The library staff is eager to guide readers by providing suggestions on authors, genres and books that they might enjoy. Readers win badges and gift cards for achieving certain goals.
More than 2,500 books have been read so far. Pittsburghers are more than equipped to meet the 90,000 target by reading voraciously in the upcoming weeks.
First Published: June 9, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
