Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence Director Mike Brumby said the fall program, which is open from 6 to 8pm on Tuesdays and 1-3pm on Saturdays, allows students to read a wider range of books than is available in the libraries of area schools.

     High school students also benefit because they may not be able to get on the TCHS library computers during the school day.

     “We’ve had a very strong turnout.  We’ve just been overrun with folks,” said Brumby.

     Charles Spencer librarian Terri Nalls, who operates the fall AR program at the library, said approximately 100 people used the library program during September, earning an estimated 574 points on 397 tests.

     “We’ve had a lot more than that in October.”, she said.

     Because the fall program is open for fewer hours than the summer one, there are fewer participants, she said.

      “They can do it at school, too,” said Nalls. “This is mainly if they want to read more than just what their school library has.  All of scores are transferred back to their schools.”

     Whether the program will continue after the end of this month depends on funding.  “This is a pilot.  We did it to see how it would go, and it was just for town months, until the end of October,” Brumby said.

     “If people are interested in continuing it, they need to make a donation to the foundation,” Nalls said. “There is a need.”