The Missouri Book Challenge: STLCC Librarians Reading the Dream

Posted April 4, 2012

At college libraries everywhere, librarians fill a wide range of roles, from helping students find and select the right materials to guide them in research and even hold seminars and lectures. On top of all this work, library staff from across all four STLCC campus libraries are participating in something extra: the Missouri Book Challenge.

Each year, libraries from across the state compete in the Missouri Book Challenge to see who can read the most pages. These numbers are then sent in and tallied month by month for the competition. Want to know who is on top right now, or just how much the STLCC librarians read last month? Head over to the Missouri Book Challenge blog.

Why are STLCC libraries competing?

Aside from the fact that many staff members are already voracious readers, this competition helps them find new books to recommend to students through staff picks and displays. For some library staff members who previously didn’t have the time to read as much as they wanted, this contest helps give them an incentive to hit the books.

What are some current staff picks?
Kirsten Young-Abotsi, an employee with Highland Park Instructional Resources, has a few picks from the last week of her reading: Shanghai Girls by Lisa See, The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes, Emily, Alone by Stewart O’Nan and The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry.

If you are an STLCC student, you can reap these benefits for yourself. The hours and locations of all STLCC libraries are available online and the library staff is primed and ready to make recommendations for you.

Over the past 50 years, over one million students have passed through the doors of our STLCC campuses. Some might have only used the library to study for finals while others went there to get ahead on research. Whatever your story is, we want to hear it. If you’re an STLCC alumni, be sure to leave your mark on our 50^th anniversary map.