Clinton County, Pa., wins Clinton Reading Challenge for the first time
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LOCK HAVEN -- After joining the competition in 2022, Clinton County, Pa., has officially won the sixth annual Clinton Challenge for the first time!
The Clinton Challenge is a summer reading competition that brings together libraries in communities named Clinton across the United States.
Now in its sixth year, the challenge encourages adults ages 18 and older to read, track their time and help their community compete for the traveling trophy.
This summer, Clinton County readers logged an incredible 31,975 hours of reading, with 205 participants contributing to the county's winning total.
Julie Ross, Adult Services Coordinator at Annie Halenbake Ross Library, coordinated the challenge for the Clinton County Libraries and helped rally local readers throughout the summer.
Participants could count time spent reading books, magazines and newspapers, as well as listening to audiobooks. With six reporting rounds throughout the summer, readers worked together to help Clinton County climb to the top of the standings.
The competition began in 2021 when a librarian from Clinton, N.Y., challenged patrons at her childhood library in Clinton, N.J., to see which community could read the most.
Since then, libraries in Clinton, N.Y.; Clinton, N.J.; Clinton, Mass.; Clinton, Iowa; Clinton, Ind.; Clinton, Miss.; and Clinton County, Pa., have participated. Over the competition's first five summers, readers collectively logged more than 250,000 hours.
For Clinton County, this year's victory marks a milestone after four years of participation. The achievement reflects the dedication of 205 local readers who made time for reading and helped their community earn its first championship.
"We are so excited to finally bring the trophy home to Clinton County!" said Ross. "Thank you to everyone who participated, tracked their reading and helped make this possible. Every hour counted and our readers showed just how much our community loves to read!"
The Clinton County Libraries extend their gratitude to everyone who participated and supported the challenge. Readers helped demonstrate that a shared love of books can bring a community together, one page at a time.
For information about upcoming adult reading programs and other library events, visit Annie Halenbake Ross Library or follow the three Clinton County Libraries on social media.