The miniature reading rooms, complete with chair, lamp and bookcase, will be
located at City Hall, the Holiday Inn, Tifton-Tift County Chamber of
Commerce, Shoney’s, Tift Regional Medical Center and Tift County Board of
Education central office.

     “I had a lady who was staying in a motel here to call me,” said Tift County
Foundation for Educational Excellence Executive Director Mike Brumby. “She
said she was in the Reading Capital of the World, was looking for some
indication of it and couldn’t find anything.”

     To show visitors that Tifton really is the Reading Capital of the World,
foundation members came up with the Book Nook idea, visited possible sites
and persuaded area businesses to donate the furnishings.
Now all that’s needed are the books.

     Brumby said the Foundation hopes members of the public will donate their used
books, anything from a book that could be read to a small child to a John
Grisham novel or short stories.

     The books will be collected at City Hall at the service desk in the lobby.

     “We’re pleased to be a part of this community effort as we continue to foster
good reading and reduce the illiteracy rate in the Tifton community,” said
Mayor Paul Johnson.

     “We invite people to stop by and use this Book Nook. City Hall is a community
gathering place, and we’re doing all we can to make it customer-friendly and
support the foundation’s effort.”

     The Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association also supports the Book Nooks as a
way to promote Tifton.

     “When people stop in Tifton and see these Book Nooks, they’ll realize we are
proud of the honor and recognize the importance of reading,” said Tyron
Spearman.

     The tourism association recently placed two billboards on I-75 promoting the
Reading Capital of the World, one about 10 miles north of Tifton and the
other about 10 miles south of town. Spearman said the association will spend
$800 per month for the next year on the two signs.