Provincial Library Director, Harry Holman, has a special reason for hoping it doesn't rain on Thursday! Holman will be spending the day on the roof of the Confederation Centre Public Library rain or shine!
The day on the roof is his part of a challenge made to youth of the province at the opening of this year's Summer Reading Program. Students and pre-schoolers were promised that if they read 9,700 books over the summer, the library director would be climbing a long ladder to the top of the three story building.
The Summer Reading Program has been in existence for over ten years and library staff thought it needed a boost. They were surprised at the public interest in the Director's challenge and it has been very successful in getting children to read more over the summer. The program continues to improve literacy levels and maintains reading skills during the school break.
With almost all the reading results in, there is no doubt that the 9,700 mark will be passed. Harry Holman is pleased about his fate, " The theme of our program this year is 'Readers are Winners' and these kids are the winners all around. They have had the pleasure of reading for the summer and they get to see me making a fool out of myself."
The official end of the summer reading program will see a full day of activities at the Confederation Centre Children's Library. Included in the festivities is a celebrity reading at 2 p.m. featuring Minister of Education, Chester Gillan. There will also be puppet shows and a sports fashion show.
And what, besides keeping an eye on the clouds, will former Television weatherman Harry Holman be doing during his stay on the roof? "Well," he laughs, "I have a long range water pistol to soak library patrons ... and a good book."