Library offers programs and prizes for The Great American Read

In anticipation of The Great American Read’s return Sept. 11 to WCVE PBS, Henrico County Public Library is bringing film screenings, book discussions and a reading challenge with prizes to its nine locations.

The Great American Read premiered in May with a two-hour episode featuring authors and celebrities discussing books from a list of 100 titles representing America’s favorite books. The titles are all fiction, and range in genre from classics such as The Great Gatsby and The Color Purple to popular thrillers like Gone Girl, as well as youth literature such as Charlotte's Web and the Harry Potter series.

With grant support from ALA and PBS, Henrico County Public Library has worked with WCVE to host film screenings, book discussions, and a reading challenge with valuable prizes for area residents. Library patrons can submit a bookmark with the names of 20 books they have read from The Great American Read list for a chance to win prizes of up to a $200 value that correspond with the literary themes explored on the series, including “Heroes” (an Escape Room RVA gift certificate), and “Who Am I?” (a gift certificate to The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen).

Those who submit two or more bookmarks can win a Kindle Paperwhite. A winner from each Henrico library location will receive a copy of The Great American Read: The Book of Books, the companion book to the PBS series.

In addition to the book challenge, patrons can vote for their favorite book from the list at special iPad voting kiosks installed in each HCPL location. Members of the public can also vote online, by hashtag, or by phone starting in September. For details about voting, visit ideastations.org/votinghowto.

The Great American Read will return Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. on WCVE PBS and air weekly through Oct. 23. For details, visit ideastations.org/GreatRead.