A record number of kids, and adults for that matter, took part in the Arlington Public Library's My Summer Reading Program (SRC). The program culminated with a celebration for participants at the Texas Rangers Globe Life Park Hall of Fame on Saturday, August 2.

"We had an estimated 5,900 participants from birth to grade 12 and 1,130 adult participants," said Yoko Matsumoto, Program Management and Community Engagement Administrator.

One of the reasons for the record numbers was the proactive way in which staff marketed the program.

"Where's David? and the 2014 Geocaching Challenge were both designed to add to the fun of Summer Reading Club," said Matsumoto. "Librarian David Jackson donned a fishing hat and went out into the community in the MiniLiNK van. Clues to his whereabouts were posted on Facebook and Twitter. People who found him received a prize, such as a coffee mug, water bottle or t-shirt. Almost 700 people visited with David about SRC and some of them found great sites in Arlington that they had never visited before."

Summer reading programs encourage kids to read. Officials recommend at least 20 minutes of reading a day to maintain literacy, especially over the summer hiatus from school.

"SRC programs encourage kids to read materials that they are interested in reading about and different formats. Our system also incorporates programs that introduce children to themes that may peak their interests and want to explore more about subjects through reading about them," said Matsumoto.

In order to make this year's Summer Reading Corps a success, the Arlington Public Library collaborated with a number of community partners, including Arlington ISD, Boy & Girls' Club, The YET Center, Mansfield ISD, the YMCA and UTA.

Matsumoto went on to thank the following generous sponsors and partners for their support: Friends of the Arlington Public Library, AISD - Texas Literacy Initiative, Texas Rangers, General Motors, Arlington Alliance for Youth, Concentra, Arlington Parks & Recreation and individual donors.