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SUMMER READING BOOKS AVAILABLE AT NEIGHBORHOOD READING CENTERS
 CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (July 20, 2006)— Although summer break will be coming to an end in just a few weeks, many area students may have not begun reading the books on their summer reading lists yet. Usually this would be a problem, not just for the students, but for the parents who may not be able to afford the books their children need to fulfill the summer reading requirements. But this summer, the summer reading book titles are available for free in several locations across Hamilton County.
To relieve some of the financial burden for parents and to assure that more children will have access to age-appropriate book selections, United Way of Greater Chattanooga—in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga and the Chattanooga Hamilton County Bicentennial Library—have placed books in local Neighborhood Reading Centers and schools all over Hamilton County so that kids and their parents will have free access to 65 book titles included on the Hamilton County Schools Summer Reading List. These books are geared to all ages from toddlers to teens, and are ready to check out.
 “The reading centers have just been buzzing with activity this summer,” said Lu Lewis, associate director with United Way’s Project Ready for School initiative. “All of the neighborhood centers have had children take advantage of the books available to them.”
According to Ms. Lewis, the participation from the children has been better than expected. With only half of the reading centers reporting so far, more than 130 children have personally read 10 or more books this summer. Final numbers from all the reading centers and schools are expected to be reported to the library for the Summer Reading Program by July 21.
The books at the neighborhood reading centers will continue to be available after the Summer Reading Program ends.
For a complete list of locations and book titles that are available, click here or call United Way’s Project Ready for School staff at 752-0300.
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