Media Contact: Leanne Ingle (360) 704-4508, or outside the Olympia calling area: (877) 284-6237. Email: lingle@timberland.lib.wa.us.  

To ring in the new year, Timberland Regional Library (TRL) presents the sixth annual Adult Winter Reading Program, beginning January 2. The program offers a warm indoor pastime—a getaway for the mind—while beguiling readers with chances for prizes, including overnight stays at the beach.

Adults can pick up a travel-style brochure and reading record at any of the 27 Timberland libraries in Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties. For each five books participants read or listen to by March 31, they may turn in a reading record listing the book titles.

Each record turned in doubles as an entry for a prize drawing. Grand prizes, all donated by businesses, include stays at beach resorts, gift baskets and books. Many libraries will also have local drawings for prizes provided by local Friends of the Library groups and businesses. Prizes will be drawn during National Library Week, April 6-12.

Participants must be 18 or older and current Timberland library cardholders. Local libraries have complete rules and prize lists as well as all the program materials needed to join in. Library staff will offer suggestions to anyone who would like help picking out good reading material. In addition, online reading advisory resources that guide people to books that suit them are available on Timberland’s website at http://www.timberland.lib.wa.us.

Grand Prizes

• One night’s lodging and full, homemade breakfast for two at the Tokeland Hotel in Tokeland.
• One night’s stay in an ocean view room and dinner for two at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino in Ocean Shores.
• One night’s stay for two at the Ocean Crest Resort in Moclips.
• One of ten baskets, each with books, a book-on-tape, a coffee mug, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and $25.00 gift certificate from Barnes & Noble Booksellers. (Audio books donated by Recorded Books, Inc. and Books on Tape, Inc. Beverages donated by Batdorf & Bronson.)

For more information, people may call their local Timberland library or check the TRL website.

Timberland Regional Library serves Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties at 27 community libraries and 6 school-based cooperative library centers. For information on any subject, the public can telephone reference librarians at Timberland’s Central Reference department at 704-INFO (704-4636) from Thurston County, Shelton and Oakville or 1-800-562-6022, toll-free, from all other areas in the district. Or they can "Ask a Librarian" online at http://www.timberland.lib.wa.us/asklib.htm.