Winter Reading Challenge :: Mark Cuban

Mark Cuban Pledges $35,000 To Global Reading Challenge For First Book and Libraries and Their Communities

First Book: 11.15.2017 by Melanie Boyer

Billionaire investor and Shark Tank personality Mark Cuban has announced his sponsorship of the inaugural Beanstack Winter Reading Challenge in support of local libraries. Cuban has challenged close to 100 libraries all over the country and South Korea, to meet a collective goal of reading at least 1.3 million minutes and 55,000 books during the month of January. If achieved, Cuban pledges to donate $25,000 to First Book, a nonprofit social enterprise that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to children in need. He will also give $10,000 for top-performing libraries to use for their community programs or donate to nonprofit organizations in their area.

Participating libraries will use Beanstack, an innovative software that facilitates reading programs for schools and libraries, and makes it easy to track the amount of time and books read. “After doing a storytime for my local library, Dallas Public Library, I became increasingly inspired by the work libraries do for their communities,” says Cuban. “Growing up, my mom used to give me a quarter for every book I read. Through reading programs libraries run with Beanstack, they are providing these kinds of incentives for readers throughout the community. I love the idea that we will encourage readers through a shared, ambitious goal, and that the prize for everyone will be to pay it forward to an awesome organization focused on literacy and access to books.”

SCLLN Libraries

Commerce Library
Huntington Beach Library
Los Angeles Public Library

Monrovia Library
Placentia Library

"Libraries are Beautiful - Inside and Out" National Library Week Photo Contest

"Libraries are Beautiful - Inside and Out"
National Library Week Photo Contest

Gale Celebrates Upcoming National Library Week with "Libraries are Beautiful!" Photo Contest
PR Newswire: 3.19.2014

In celebration of National Library Week April 13-19, Gale, part of Cengage Learning and a leading publisher of research and education resources for libraries, schools and businesses, is calling all library lovers to show how their library makes their community a more beautiful place-physically or metaphorically.

1: Submit a high resolution digital photo and 250 word write-up at Cengage

2: All U.S. libraries can be nominated to win.

Nominations can be submitted by library staff, friends and users.

3: Submissions will be accepted March 19 - 28.
Winners will be announced during National Library Week in April.

To enter, library staff, students or patrons need only to submit a picture of the nominated library along with a short write-up for any of the 5 award categories. One "Best of Category" winner will be selected per category and will receive $500. One grand prize winner will be awarded "Best in Show" and take home $2,500. Categories include:
. Most Unique Structure/Art Installation: Is there a particular piece of art or sculpture that's always a topic of conversation at your library? Then please, show and tell. 
. Greatest Historical Treasure: Whether it's your building itself or something within your collections, share its story and historical significance.
. Most Modern Architecture: There is nothing wrong with tradition but show off your twenty-first century look.
. Coolest Internal Space: From a whimsical children's space to a hip teen area, tech hub or academic retreat, show why students and patrons are flocking to enter and reluctant to leave.
. Best Curb Appeal: Show us what your library looks like from the road and why it's making people stop in their tracks.

Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, software and services company, empowering educators and driving learner engagement through personalized services and course-driven digital solutions that bridge from the library to the classroom. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet.