Rather than students having to get an e-Hall pass to check out a book, campus librarian Chelsea Hamilton hit the halls Tuesday, taking a small selection of best-selling books to English classrooms in hopes of students spending some of their free time reading over the upcoming winter break.

“I decided that since we are getting close to a break that I was going to pack a lot of our high turnover rates, award winners, Tesha’s books new releases, put them all on a cart and take them to the students without having them come to the library,” Hamilton said.

English teachers find this beneficial to increase reading among students.

“I think students have more free time than normal during the break so hopefully they can use some of that extra time to read something that challenges and interests them,” English teacher Chad Doty said. “Especially during COVID-19 procedures, students are less likely to drop by the library on their own. So bringing the cart to classes is an effective way to get books in students’ hands.”

Because of COVID-19, library and book checkout rules have changed. The cart going class to class provides safety benefits.

“I just have them on the cart and I run them down the hallway and scan the books and make it go real quick,” Hamilton said. “This year since COVID and everything made it up our checkout limit to 15 so you can take as many books as you can carry,” Hamilton said. “While I’m down there and students have books they can check them into me then they just bring them back whenever they are finished.”

Students such as sophomore Thomas Cudmore found this a great method of getting a chance to read. 

“I just think it’s a great opportunity because people get to read over winter break,” Cudmore said. “Sometimes it gets boring during the quarantine and a book is a great way to entertain yourself.”