By Elaine Bonilla / se news editor
SE students have been given a cash incentive by publisher Townsend Press to read certain novels.
Townsend Press, the publisher of textbooks used in developmental reading and ESOL classes, sponsors the Bucks for Books program offered through the SE library. The SE program was started when developmental reading and ESOL instructor Mary Cinatl and reading associate professor Darla Shannon heard Townsend Press offered the program and signed up. Now, Bucks for Books is in its second year.
“Money motivates some people,” Cinatl said. “And we thought it would be a way to get more people hooked on reading, and reading would eventually become the motivator.”
Townsend then donated to the library three collections of the paperback books they publish. The collection includes classic novels such as Frankenstein, Gulliver’s Travels and The Wizard of Oz and also includes titles like Someone to Love Me and Brother in Arms.
SE library director Jo Klemm said the collection also includes biographies of outstanding Americans and stories of people who have overcome adversity.
If the student is enrolled in a developmental reading course, the student can receive $100 for every 10 books read with a maximum of $300.
The selected novels are available for checkout in the library. Once the student is finished and returns the book to the library, the student must then take a test over the novel.
“The student goes to the reference desk, and a librarian administers the four-question test,” publish services librarian Lilliana Cano said. “Then it [the test] is filed into the student’s folder.”
After 10 tests have been taken, the student’s name is sent to Townsend, who then sends the student’s check to the library. Cano contacts the students to let them know their $100 check is available. Each student can receive three checks totaling $300.
