From Dec. 15 until Jan. 15, the Cumberland County Public Library system is inviting readers of all ages to keep up the excellent work of reading books over the holiday break during its Winter Reading Program, known as WRAP.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Cumberland County Public Library, Inc., WRAP allows readers of all ages to win prizes for tracking their reading progress and participating in library-related activities, according to the Cumberland County Public Library.

The Winter Reading Program is split into children, teens, adults, staff and family, and each category has different objectives.

“[The Winter Reading Program] is meant to be a program that encourages” people to continue reading during winter break, said Carla Brooks, Cumberland County Library Division Manager of Programs.

“We call it our Winter Reading and Activities Program.”

The 2022-2023 Children’s Winter Reading Program “encourages lifelong reading habits for children 11 and under,” according to the Cumberland County Public Library’s website.
The next category is for teens aged 12 to 18.

“[Kids] read for five hours, and they get a little record,” Brooks said. “They bring it back in and they can get a free book.”

These two categories offer virtually the same prizes: Read for five hours (or 300 minutes), earn a free book, and enter into drawings for the prize of “book bundles” at the Cumberland County library of your choice.

“It helps kids to start their own little home libraries if they don’t have any,” Brooks said. “Or, if they’ve got one, it helps them to continue to expand it.”

Remember that there are two distinct $25 gift certificates to be raffled away: Children earn the chance to win one to Barnes & Noble, while teenagers can win one to 2nd & Charles.

“For every five hours after [the 300 minutes], it’s just more chances in to the drawings,” she said.

The remaining categories are adults, library staff, and family, with a gift bundle and a potential $100 gift card grand prize. In addition, library staff and families can enter to win a gift bundle for employees.
Brooks said that adults get a bingo card to fill out with different things they might need, like reading under a blanket or reading an old childhood favorite.

“Once they get bingo one way, they bring the card back in, and this year the prize for adults is a mini flashlight,” she added.

The Winter Reading Program is happening at all eight libraries in the Cumberland County Library network.
Be aware all library locations are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition, the Headquarters Library (downtown Fayetteville), Hope Mills Branch, North Regional Library and Cliffdale Regional Library are open Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.

There are seven libraries besides the Headquarters Library in downtown, so visitors can choose the closest facility, Brooks said.

For information about exact library locations, please visit https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/library-group/library/locations.