DESPITE THE WEATHER, WE ARE OPEN TODAY, AND PROGRAMS ARE STILL ON! (3/16/26)  

 DESPITE THE WEATHER, WE ARE OPEN TODAY, AND PROGRAMS ARE STILL ON! (3/16/26)  

Reading Challenges

 

 

Clinton Reading Challenge

May 25 - August 31, 2026

 

Readers ages 18 and up are invited to join us as we compete against other Clinton libraries in a summer reading challenge! We’ll take on readers from the Kirkland Town Library in Clinton, New York; the North County Branch Library in Clinton, New Jersey; the Clinton County Libraries in Pennsylvania; the Bigelow Free Library in Clinton, Massachusetts; the Clinton Public Library in Clinton, Indiana; and the Quisenberry Library in Clinton, Mississippi to see who can read the most this summer.

All you have to do is keep track of your reading. You can read books, magazines, or newspapers, listen to an audiobook, or anything you can borrow from the library. It counts! Stay tuned for more information on how to log your reading.

Six times this summer, you’ll report on the number of hours or pages you’ve read. (One page is equal to one minute.) We'll tally the hours and see how we stack up against the competition.

Stop in the library, check our website, or follow us on social media for updates throughout the summer. Thanks for joining our team and helping us show the country that this Clinton loves to read!

Challenge History

The fun began back in 2021 when a librarian from Clinton, New York, challenged the patrons of her childhood library in Clinton, New Jersey, to see who could read the most. At the end of that first summer, New York prevailed with 2,492 hours.

Over the years, other Clinton libraries have excitedly joined the competition, with their patrons reading more than 250,000 hours in five summers. Librarians love the program because it encourages their patrons to read and the public loves the competitive aspect, eagerly checking the weekly results to see if their state is in the lead.

The trophy has been won by New York two times, twice by Iowa, and once by New Jersey, and there’s no telling who will take it home in the future. With more than 40 different towns named Clinton in the United States and Canada, the competition will keep growing year after year.