100 Hours to Guinness Glory

This is just too wonderful not to mention. Six staff members from the Henderson District (NV) Public Libraries are just a few hours away from breaking (shattering to smithereens, is more like it) the current read-aloud record of 81 minutes, 15 seconds -- they're nearly at 100 hours of straight reading aloud from the works of a minor children's fantasy author. Jessamyn reports that they've "recently purchased a bookmobile. We have gotten local corporate sponsors, and the money from that will go to our nascent outreach program. We are also highlighting literacy as well."

What a wonderful public relations event! What a great way to piggy-back on the popularity of Harry Potter and the wave of giddy anticipation attending the release of The Half-Blood Prince, all in the service of drawing attention to your new bookmobile & outreach service! We should do something like this at my library!

Jessamyn also points to the readers' blog, which documents their increasing punchiness and unbridled enthusiasm for the project, their flickr photo albums, and their general info page, which includes a count-down clock and a pledge form. Just 27.5 hours left!