Readers Blaze Through Books for Ilsley's Blizzard Reading Contest

Author: Campus Editor in Chief

With sub-zero temperatures plaguing Vermont this winter, people have been confined to the indoors more than usual. Many cardholders of the Ilsley Public Library in Middlebury, however, combatted the dreary weather by taking part in an event called "Blizzard Reading." Carol Chatfield, the children's librarian, described the program, which lasted from Jan. 1 to Feb. 19, as "an effort to increase reading for fun." Anyone holding a library card was free to participate. The event pitted children - anyone under the age of 18 -- against adults to see who could read more pages. In total, Chatfield estimated that 110 people participated, and about two-thirds of these readers were children. People across the age spectrum, from pre-schoolers to senior citizens, took part.
The library measured the groups' progress by cutting out paper snowballs and mounting them on the walls. Each snowball represented 100 pages. Younger children were able to read ten picture books or "easy-readers" to receive a snowball. The library did not have any criteria for the types of books it wanted the participants to read. Chatfield said the librarians simply "wanted to emphasize that reading could be fun." The strategy worked perfectly. Chatfield said kids "would come to the desk with big smiles on their faces and say, 'I need 18 snowballs.'"
Chatfield praised all of the participants, focusing largely on the children, who amassed 64,500 pages. The adults combined to read 36,500 pages. According to Chatfield, home-schooled children read "incredible amounts." Students in schools generally had less free time for reading, but "also came quite regularly" to add to the growing pile of snowballs. Chatfield mentioned proudly that one young girl from Early Essential Education (EEE) routinely visited the library to contribute. EEE is a program that accepts children who are behind the level they should be upon entering kindergarten.
The library holds a summer reading program, from which the idea for "Blizzard Reading" stemmed. Chatfield said, "January is usually a pretty blah month, so let's try to spice it up a little bit with some fun thing." After its first year, Chatfield considers the program a definite success, although she suggested that next year the library "change the theme and do a beach party, or a Hawaiian luau or something warm."
The event culminated in a party last Thursday that continued the winter theme. Children made snowmen out of toilet paper, cut out snowflakes and baked cookies, decorating them as snowmen. A name was drawn out of a hat to give away a "Charlotte's Web" book bag. All participants received a small souvenir -- a pencil with the phrase, "I survived the Blizzard of 2003 at the Ilsley Public Library."
Chatfield summarized the event by saying, "People had a good time. They kept coming in and checking the chart to see how they were doing. I think we accomplished our goal, and next year we would try to include a wider group of readers."