The Port Moody Library's summer reading club members voted on a new library card design that will be issued to kids. Showing off an enlarged version of the winning design are seven-year-old Teresa Chen, left, and Nico Pallares, 5.
Photograph by: Lisa King , NOW
It's going to be a monster party for young readers at the Port Moody Library this fall.
After casting nearly 10,000 votes in a contest to select the design for a new kids-only library card, the Monster Party has emerged the winner.
The card features "domo-esque", Japanese anime inspired monsters having a music party, according to Maryn Ashdown head of youth services for the library.
Kids who came into the library during the summer were allowed to vote once per day on which of three possible designs would adorn their cards.
"The intent of that project was to encourage kids to get a card and use it to get books out of the library - to give them a sense of ownership in the library in the borrowing they were doing," she said.
The design, which avoids any appeal to specific gender, is aimed at a Grade 5 level, to help keep them in the fold when they are at risk of ditching books in favour of other diversions.
"We know Grade 4 and 5 is when a lot of kids drop reading. If they're going to lose interest, that's the lull period," she said.
The contest itself seemed to be already on the path to achieving that goal, Ashdown said.
"I would say a lot of those kids, even those who don't borrow books regularly or didn't join the summer reading club. voted for their favourite library card," she said.
The card will go into production this fall and should be available in late November, Ashdown said.
CELEBRATING POCO'S RIVERS AND TRAILS
Walking, riding and boating - those three means of transportation are part of the celebration that is Port Coquitlam's Rivers and Trails Festival this Sunday.
The event, which starts at 10 a.m. at Lions Park, will embrace the local natural environment and key elements of our everyday lives. Festival goers can enjoy a leisure hike or bike ride on one of the area's many trails, or enjoy the sights on a paddlewheeler tour, journeying up the river as they did 100 years ago.
There are three scheduled paddlewheeler trips, costing $2 per person, with tickets expected to sell out early. Activities for all ages include a pancake breakfast, live music, river cleanup, hands-on worm composting workshops, storytelling and art stations.
A free shuttle bus will be available, carrying passengers between Peace Park (1470 Kebet Way) and Lions Park (2300 Lions Way). The public is encouraged to walk or cycle to both sites.
Here is a general timeline:
. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.- Lions Park pancake breakfast (9: 45 a.m.), river cleanup, Salmon Journey passport stations, worm composting workshops, children's entertainment and crafts;
. Noon to 4 p.m. - Peace Park paddleboat tours ($2 each/boats leave 1: 15, 2: 15 and 3: 15 p.m.), music by the Oh Wells Band, Eric Proulx and Phillippe Poirier and Jocelyn Pettit Band, boat building workshop.
For more info, go to www.portcoquitlam.ca/events.
