Clayton Library Inspires Nearly 800 Summer Readers

CLAYTON, N.C. – As students head back to school, hundreds of Clayton readers are bringing a summer full of books, stories, and discovery with them.

More than 790 children, teens, and adults registered for Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library’s 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, held from July 1 through August 15. Together, they logged nearly 180,000 minutes of reading while embracing this year’s dinosaur-inspired theme, Unearth a Story, and discovering something new along the way.

This year also brought another reason to visit the library. Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library reopened on July 6 following a yearlong renovation, welcoming the community back into a refreshed space in the middle of the challenge.

“We hoped the new space would encourage people to come back and rediscover the library,” said Library Manager Melissa Poole. “Seeing families walk through the doors and explore together has been incredibly rewarding. We want the library to feel like a place people are excited to make part of their lives.”

Children made up the largest group of participants with more than 560 readers, ages 12 and younger, signing up. Among them, 85 became “Super Readers” by logging twice the amount of reading required to finish the challenge.

Those reading habits can make a difference well beyond the challenge. With a new school year now underway, the time children spent with books gave them a chance to keep practicing their skills while choosing stories and subjects that interested them.

“They might find a series they cannot put down or become fascinated by a subject they had never explored before,” said Youth Services Supervisor Grace Davis. “When a child finds that connection with reading, we hope they carry that excitement with them wherever they go next.”

The Unearth a Story theme brought that sense of adventure to library programs as well. Dinosaurs, archaeology, and paleontology inspired activities throughout the six-week challenge, giving families new ways to learn and spend time together.

The 2026 Summer Reading Challenge and its programming were made possible with support from the Friends of the Library – Clayton, NC, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing literacy and enhancing library services.