Library offers incentive program

As the end of summer nears, it’s time to crack that reading list you may have avoided, or finish the list you’ve started.

The Pinelands Library, located in Medford, also serves the neighboring towns of Shamong, Tabernacle, Southampton and Woodland.

This summer, kids have been reading more than ever.

The library offered an incentive program based on time spent reading. After four hours, the kids in the program received prizes, according to youth services librarian Danielle Haubrich.

“This year was a record-breaking summer for the library,” Haubrich said.

Books that have, or are going to be, turned into movies grabbed the attention of young adult and children readers.

“The ‘Hunger Games’ books are really popular,” Haubrich said. “‘Divergent’ is being turned into a movie, and kids are reading the first two books in that series.”

Haubrich suggests both books for readers who want to be hooked into a good series.

The Percy Jackson series has always been popular, according to Haubrich. The books have been turned into a movie recently as well.

“Kids just love series they can sink their teeth in. When they find something they like, they want to read a ton more,” Haubrich said. “The parents like it, too. It keeps them reading.”

The program will end on Aug. 16. On Aug. 20, kids who participated in the program are invited to celebrate their reading accomplishments at Freedom Park.

“We’re thanking them for participating and all the reading they did over the summer,” Haubrich said.

Haubrich “hates to say it,” but the negative attention the library has received may have contributed to the popularity of the library this summer.

The back-and-forth between the county and the township concerned residents about the library’s fate, as expressed at numerous council meetings. The township council emphasized the library will not close.

In May, council members, in addition to township manager Chris Schultz, and Burlington County staff member Ralph Shrom, met with Freeholder Leah Arter to discuss the library, according to Mayor Frank Czekay.

“It was productive,” Czekay said in May. “We agreed to move forward and agreed to draft plans for their project.”

Arter previously agreed to provide a $30,000 reimbursement for maintenance, cleaning and utilities. In addition, Arter has been proposing an improvement project that includes a significant upgrade to the Allen Avenue library.

“It definitely put us on people’s radar, and people are using our resources, which we love,” Haubrich said.

In addition to children’s interest in the library and the reading program, adults have been spending time in the library, rounding out their own lists. According to reference librarian Adam Crockett, books-to-screen series have been incredibly popular.

“Song of Ice and Fire” by George RR Martin, and the inspiration for the HBO series “Game of Thrones” has a long waiting list.

“We cannot keep that book on the shelf, it’s so popular,” Crockett said.

The library also carries comics and graphic novels including “The Walking Dead,” and DC Comics.

Crockett also recommends some nonfiction books, including “The Feud: The Hatfields and McCoys: The True Story” by Dean King. The Hatfields and McCoys have been the inspiration for a History Channel miniseries, providing the book-to-screen experience with a nonfiction background.

“The book itself was good. It goes back to about 10 to 15 years before the Civil War started, when the feud began,” Crockett said.

The summer has also brought interest in travel and planning trips.

“We’re always pointing people to our travel section,” Haubrich said.

The library offers an entire section dedicated to New Jersey and the surrounding area if anything more than a day trip is too much a few weeks before school.

The New Jersey section is filled with books of hiking guides and other natural locations, in addition to historical nonfiction on the state.

“There are books with attractions about an hour outside of Philadelphia if you don’t want to plan on going too far away,” Haubrich said.

Whether you’re traveling to the beach or headed to your backyard, guests have the ability to borrow books on their E-readers.

“This summer, so many more people have been coming in for their Kindle or their iPad,” Haubrich said.

Harness the last few weeks of summer with a good read.

For more information on how to borrow digitally, events at the library and more information, visit the website www.bcls.lib.nj.us/pinelands