By 1808Delaware
Winter has a way of opening small pockets of time. A quieter evening. A slow morning. A break between obligations. That’s exactly where the Winter Reading Club at the Delaware County District Library fits best.
Running from December 1 through January 31, the program is built around one simple idea: read what you want, when you want, and let the library handle the rest. No assigned titles. No page counts. No pressure to keep up. It’s reading as a habit, not a hurdle.
How the Winter Reading Club Works
Participation is open to everyone, regardless of age. Children, teens, adults, and families can all take part.
To get started, pick up a Winter Reading Club bookmark at any DCDL branch, download one from the library’s Winter Reading website, or find one in the winter edition of the Check It Out quarterly newsletter. Each bookmark has four spaces. You can fill them with any combination of books you’ve read or in-person or virtual library programs you’ve attended. When the bookmark is full, bring it back to the library and choose which prize basket drawing you want to enter.
There’s no limit to how many bookmarks you can complete. If you keep reading, you keep entering.
Prize Baskets for Every Age
Each DCDL location offers its own set of prize baskets, including baskets for Community and Family Outreach Services patrons. The contents vary, but typically include new books, library-themed items, gift cards, and a few surprises. Baskets are organized into four age groups: ages 0 to 5, ages 6 to 12, teen, and adult. You are free to enter any basket, regardless of your age. That flexibility is intentional and part of what keeps the program fun.
Winners are selected at random during the first week of February, and library staff will call those whose bookmarks are drawn.
Library Hours That Make It Easy to Participate
One reason the Winter Reading Club works so well is access. DCDL’s five branches operate on a shared schedule, making it easy to stop in before work, after school, or on the weekend.
All branches are closed December 24 and December 25 for Christmas and reopen on December 26.
Delaware Main Library
84 East Winter Street, Delaware, OH 43015
740-362-3861
Monday through Thursday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Liberty Branch
7468 Steitz Road, Powell, OH 43065
740-513-4557
Monday through Thursday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Orange Branch
7171 Gooding Boulevard, Delaware, OH 43015
740-549-2665
Monday through Thursday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Powell Branch
460 South Liberty Street, Powell, OH 43065
614-888-9160
Monday through Thursday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Ostrander Branch
Address and contact details available on the library’s main website
Hours align with other branches
Monday through Thursday: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Extra Convenience During Winter
For readers who prefer to stay warm, drive-up windows and curbside pickup are available during open hours at the Liberty, Orange, and Powell branches. Details for the Ostrander branch, including any updates, are available at delawarelibrary.org/locations.
Why It Matters
The Winter Reading Club doesn’t try to reinvent reading. It simply removes barriers. You read at your pace. The library stays open late. The rewards are pleasant, not overbearing.
At a time of year when routines tend to fray, that quiet consistency matters. One bookmark at a time, the library keeps people reading, learning, and connected well past the holidays and into the heart of winter.
