Library takes on reading challenge: 'Reach for a sweet read'

This March, the Mikkelsen Library joins the Sioux Falls school district and Siouxland Libraries in their annual “Everybody Reads Challenge.” This will be the first time that Augustana participates in this challenge.

The theme of this year’s challenge is “Reach for a Sweet Read.” The library designed a gumball machine display next to the front desk. Here, students and faculty can report the number of books, chapters and academic articles they have read throughout the month. Students who don’t have time to stop by the library to log their reading can fill out a Google form, which can be accessed on the Mikkelsen library’s website.

If this challenge’s goal of 350,000 books read throughout March is met, a donation of $1,700 will go directly to Reach Literacy — a program that seeks to enhance adult literacy in the Sioux Empire community.

Nicole Norton, the K-5 librarian at the Siouxland Libraries Downtown Library, believes that this donation will allow Reach to continue supporting literacy programs in the Sioux Falls area.

“Reach does a lot in the community with literacy for adults and young people,” Norton said. “ That fits in with what the school district and library want to happen. We want to better people because literacy is important throughout all aspects of our life.”

Lisa Brunick, public services librarian at the Mikkelsen Library, also commented on how glad she is that the Augustana community is participating in a challenge that supports an organization like Reach Literacy.

“This is another opportunity to uplift an organization that believes in the power of reading and education to empower individuals,” Brunick said.

Brunick believes that Augustana’s participation in this challenge will help students of all ages understand that literacy is important for their education.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to lift up the importance of reading and how school, public and university libraries support and encourage reading and literacy,” Brunick said.

Mikkelsen’s Digital Initiatives Librarian Kelly Thompson hopes this challenge will foster connections between the libraries in Sioux Falls and help make reading fun for all ages.

“ The whole point of this challenge is not to be really strict,” Thompson said. “It's just about lifelong learning and celebrating reading.”

Thompson also typically deals with complex academic articles for her work, and she is glad she can step away from that with this challenge.

“It's a kind of a way for me to have a little bit of interaction with the more lighthearted and fun side of librarianship,” she said.

Lucy Steiger, a librarian that focuses on programming events for teens at the Siouxland Libraries Downtown Library, worked on the challenge’s organizational details. She ultimately loves to see how all of the libraries’ work setting up the challenge reaches and benefits the public.

“It's just fun to see kids get excited about filling out their book titles and adding their, whether it's a leaf or a gumball, to the display,” Steiger said. “And then they'll talk about, ‘Oh, this was my favorite book out of all of these ones.’”

Though a donation to Reach Literacy will be made if the challenge’s 350,000-book goal is met, its main purpose is to get more people at any age reading more and enjoying what they are reading.

“Whether somebody has a library card or not, we want people to be reading because that's the goal,” Norton said. “Whether that's individualized or reading with a family member, friend, your child, grandchild — everybody can participate.”

The timing of this challenge also aligns with the Mikkelsen Madness Book Battle, which begins on March 17. Thompson hopes the event encourages participation in the “Reach for a Sweet Read” competition.

Students and faculty alike can continue to log what they have read throughout the month of March to help the library reach its goal.