HHPL’s TD Summer Reading Club sees numbers spike

By Mike Riley

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

According to Wendy Sue Keating, CEO and head librarian at the Hastings Highlands Public Library, they had a record year regarding their participation in the TD Summer Reading Challenge and the TD Summer Reading Club. Keating and Hastings Highlands Mayor Tony Fitzgerald comment on the statistics observed so far this year.
The HHPL participated again in 2023 in the TD Summer Reading Club, which is a free club offered across Canada to foster a lifelong love of reading and help keep kids reading even when they're not in school.
“Each participating child is given a booklet to record the books they have read, as well as a code to access books, activities, and more online through the TD Summer Reading website. This year, we had a total of 69 kids sign up through our library, a new record for us,” she says.
HHPL also held a Summer Reading Challenge, in addition to the TD Summer Reading Club, to encourage patrons of all ages to get their summer read on.
Starting on July 4 and ending on Aug. 26, the challenge recorded a ballot toward their draw for every book read. They had a grand total of 608 ballots entered for the Kids' Reading Challenge, and 200 entered for the Adult Reading Challenge, for an overall total of 808 books that were read this summer in the hopes of winning the prize draw.
“This summer, we saw a total of 3,080 people visit the library from July 4 to Sept. 2, with a total of 7,413 from Jan. 1 to Sept. 2. It's been a terrific and busy year at the library so far, and there's still more to come before we say goodbye to 2023. Keep up to date with all the latest in library news and events by checking our blog or following us on social media,” she says.
Fitzgerald told Bancroft This Week that he has always considered the HHPL the jewel in the municipality's crown and the envy of all of Hastings County.
“We have amazing staff, extensive resources and programs, and a wonderful facility. It continues to amaze me how many people from all over North Hastings use our library. As a retired teacher, I am a huge supporter of any program that encourages young people to read. Once you give a child the gift of literacy and a love of reading, their thirst for knowledge knows no limits. Many thanks to the staff at HHPL,” he says. “Keep up the great work!”