By LAURA DANIEL
Tiger Media Network
Hays Public Library hosted its Book Mania Championship Party on March 27, bringing together young readers to celebrate their participation in a reading challenge inspired by the excitement of the March Madness basketball tournament.
Book Mania is designed for readers of all ages and follows a bracket-style format similar to the NCAA tournament.
“Book Mania is a reading challenge for all ages that is patterned after March Madness,” said Callie Kolacny, library communications coordinator. “Participants read the books in their reading level bracket and vote for their favorites. Each completed bracket qualifies for an entry in the prize drawing.”
The party focused primarily on youth who took part in the challenge. Attendees enjoyed games and snacks while eagerly awaiting the announcement of the top-voted books in each reading level.
What sets the event apart is its emphasis on recognizing the efforts of participants.
“The championship party is unique because it is focused on Book Mania and those who participated in the reading challenge,” Kolacny said.
“Along with revealing the top book titles, the highlight of the event will be the raffle drawings to see which participants win the grand prizes in each reading level.”
The event aimed to create a fun and rewarding atmosphere for all involved.
Kolacny added that the biggest excitement came from discovering the winners.
“We were most excited to see which books were the top picks,” she said.
Library hosts puzzle competition
Hays Public Library hosted a puzzle competition March 28, inviting enthusiasts of all ages to test their skills in a fun, team-based challenge.
The event, which takes place several times throughout the year, offers a family-friendly activity where teams of up to five people work together to complete as much of a puzzle as possible within a two-hour time limit. Participation is limited to 10 teams, helping keep the competition organized and engaging.
“The puzzle competition is a fun, family-friendly activity that the library holds several times a year,” said Callie Kolacny, communications coordinator at Hays Public Library.
Open to anyone who enjoys puzzles, the competition welcomes a wide range of participants, from families and friends to coworkers. Each team is given the same puzzle at the start of the event to ensure fairness, though the type and number of pieces vary each time.
The puzzle itself remains a surprise until the competition begins.
“The competition is an all-ages event open to anyone who enjoys working on puzzles,” Kolacny said.
Teams compete from 1 to 3 p.m., racing against the clock to complete their puzzle. Winners are determined either by who finishes first or by who completes the largest portion if no team finishes in time.
Prizes are awarded to the top three teams, and all participants have the option to take their puzzle home at the end of the event.
Kolacny said the event’s appeal goes beyond the challenge itself.
“Puzzles are a pastime that have broad appeal, and turning it into a team competition makes it more intriguing,” she said. “Whether the teams are family, friends or coworkers, it’s a great way to build camaraderie.”
Due to limited space, one team member must register in advance through the library’s online event calendar. The competition continues to attract returning and new participants.
“With each competition, we have repeat teams, and it’s fun to watch them try to improve on previous performances,” Kolacny said. “We also look forward to introducing new teams to this event.”
Participants are encouraged to form teams of up to five, though individuals are also welcome to compete on their own.