Thousands participated in second annual Pierce County READS

Since January thousands of people in Pierce County read, talked about and shared the same book at the same time during the second annual Pierce County READS. They were converging and debating about the best-selling “Three Cups of Tea,” by award-winning author David Oliver Relin.

“This year’s community one book program was absolutely stunning. It was a true community event, with people engaging in interesting talks and programs that inspired many people,” said Neel Parikh, executive director for Pierce County Library System, the co-presenter of Pierce County READS. “We were ecstatic with the reception and engagement people brought to this program to make it a success.”

Since launching the program Jan. 5, people checked out copies of the best-selling book more than 6,200 times from Pierce County Library. Also, 1,350 people participated in the more than 50 free programs offered by Pierce County Library and some of its community partners. Approximately 900 people absorbed the words and experiences of Relin at the culminating author event at Clover Park Technical College on March 14.

Following the author events, Relin signed books for hours for hundreds of hungry fans.

“Three Cups of Tea” has been a number one New York Times bestseller for two years. It is the story of Greg Mortenson’s mission to promote peace one school at a time. The book chronicles the real life story that transports Mortenson, a mountain climber into a school builder/fundraiser, to help children, especially girls, in significantly impoverished, illiterate and uneducated Pakistan and Afghanistan villages. The premise of building the schools is to replace bombs with books, guns with pencils, and rhetoric with reading, to gain an educated society that can help itself.

Pierce County Library and The News Tribune present Pierce County READS, sponsored by Key Foundation. Washington State Library, Office of the Secretary of State, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Pierce County Library Foundation with a grant to support the program.

Many community partners participated: Associated Ministries, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Clover Park Technical College, Fort Lewis Library, Garfield Book Company, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, King’s Books, Lakewood Historical Society and History Museum, McChord Air Force Base Library, Mostly Books, Pacific Lutheran University, Pierce College, Pierce County Library Foundation and donors, Pierce County Library Friends organizations, Puyallup Public Library, Roy Public Library, Sumner Arts Commission and Waldenbooks.

In December the Library will announce the book for Pierce County READS 2010.