The Library's Gonna Make You a Star, Baby

With gray days at hand and subzero temps in the forecast, these are great times to curl up with a good book.

The is doing its best to sprinkle a little glitz into our gloom. Nearly 430 readers have signed on for its winter reading program, themed "Bright Lights, Big Read."

Readers at Saturday’s soiree not only walked the red carpet, but posed for the paparazzi to have their photos taken with “celebrities” – or at least their life-size cardboard look-alikes. 

There was real-life swag, too. Saturday’s event featured drawings for such prizes as autographed chapter books, tickets to Cirque du Soleil, Pioneer Lanes bowling, free ice skating lessons, picture books, YMCA memberships – even a gift certificate for Thin Line Tattoo. 

It’s still not too late to make box office history, library spokeswoman Kara Kohn says. You can still register in person at the library or online at http://il.evanced.info/plainfield/sr/homepage.asp. During the six-week program, children, teens and adults will all have the opportunity to win more prizes, including library bags and community coupons.  

Adults win prizes for reading 800 pages of books, magazines or newspapers – so reading Plainfield Patch earns you points, too. Kids sign on for different levels of hours spend reading. Keeping track is on the honor system, Kohn says. 

The reading wrap party is strategically timed for Feb. 27 – the same day as the Academy Awards. That day, the library will celebrate reading success with its own Academy Awards show, complete with popcorn, pizza and a performance from the Library’s Teen Readers’ Theater. 

“Pop your popcorn, grab your soda and Junior Mints - and get ready for a cinematic event,” Kohn says.