The
Reston Regional Friends Children/Teen Used Book Sale
(March 14-17) brought in about $13,400, over $200 more than the sale
of August 2012. Onward and upward! Thanks to all who worked to
create this successful event!
Plan
to volunteer AND replenish your bookshelves at the big
Spring Book Sale Wed April 24—Sunday, April 28. For more
information or to sign up, call the Friends at 703-829-5467. See
sale hours in the column at left. Sale profits go to make the Reston
Regional Library even better!
Earlier
this month we celebrated the first sale of Oreo cookies
(March 6, in 1912). Just around the corner on April 3 is the
anniversary of the first ice cream sundae, invented in New York 120
years ago. You can salute both by having an Oreo with your next hot
fudge sundae!
Some
literary notes-- Robert Frost was born March 26, 1874, in
San Francisco (surprise!). Though known as the Voice of New England,
Frost didn’t see a New England farm until he was 10. He shares his
birthday with Thomas Lanier “Tennessee” Williams, 1911. April 2,
1805, is the birthdate of Hans Christian Andersen, son of a cobbler,
in Odense, Denmark. Reread The Emperor’s New Clothes or The
Ugly Duckling in his honor…
In
a recent Newsletter, The Pew Research Center’s Internet
& American Life Project turned up some interesting stats on
Reading Habits in Different Communities, revealing interesting
variations in the way their residents read and use reading-related
technology and institutions—
Book
readers: Some 78% of Americans ages 16 and older say they read a
book in the past 12 months. Urban (80%) and suburban (80%) residents
are especially likely to have read at least one book in the past
year. While rural residents are somewhat less likely to have read a
book in the past year (71%), the book readers in rural areas read as
many books as their counterparts in cities and suburbs.
Purposes
for reading: Most of those ages 16 and older read books for
pleasure, and that is especially true of suburban readers: 82% of
suburbanites read for pleasure, compared with 79% of urban residents
and 76% of rural residents. Urban residents (80%) and suburban
dwellers (79%) are also especially likely to read to keep up with
current events. Some 73% of rural residents do that. More than
three-quarters of suburban residents (77%) read to research topics
that interest them, compared with 74% of urban residents and 70% of
rural residents. Finally, 57% of suburbanites and 58% of city
dwellers read for school or work, compared with 47% of rural
residents who do that.
Americans
and libraries: The majority of Americans ages 16 and older (58%)
have a library card and even more (69%) say the library is important
to them and their families. Some 71% of city dwellers say the
library is important to them and 59% have library cards; 69% of
suburban residents say the library is important and 61% have library
cards. Of rural residents, 62% say the library is important and 48%
have library cards.
Mark
your calendar now for the April 24-28 Friends Spring Book
Sale at Reston Regional! Remember Friends have access on the first
night. Join now or at the door. And keep reading! So many books,
so little time…
