From Janet Kipling, Exeter 383654, April 23, 2008

The race is on to find people around Devon who are not members of their local library, and to encourage them to join.

Devon County Council is joining the National Year of Reading's push to encourage people to discover the huge variety of services available at local libraries - but is going one step further.

Rather than just join in with the national 'Join a Library Day' on Saturday 26^th April, Devon County Council will use the day to launch a month-long campaign and competition to encourage readers to sign up.

Executive Member for Culture, Councillor Sheila Hobden, said: "Devon County Council has an excellent track record for maintaining library membership, but of course we can always do better. From Saturday 26th April, and for the whole of May, raising our membership will be a focus in all libraries.

"The campaign will be supported by a range of offers and competitions and a big push to hand out joining forms and information about the library service at the Devon County Show (May 15th/16th/17th)."

The main competition will be to find the youngest library member in Devon. The winner will be given a £100 Mothercare voucher and a selection of books from the Early Learning Centre). There will also be an offer of a free board book for any under 3's joining at selected libraries across the county.

Canine cyber-hero M@x, the mascot for The Zone - the web pages for the children's library service - has been brought to life and will be touring libraries and appearing at the Devon County Show to meet young fans.

Devon libraries will all be stocking the National Year of Reading's The Ultimate Book Guide and other free packs which will be handed out to people when they join.

Cllr Hobden added: "While of course we are delighted to be involved with the National Year of Reading it's important to remind people reading is about more than books. Devon Libraries all have computer access points, a massive range of groups and events, and regularly host visiting authors. Libraries are very different places from how many people imagine them, and if they haven't visited one for a long time then May is just the month to do it!"

Honor Wilson-Fletcher, Project Director of the National Year of Reading said: "We wanted to launch the Year of Reading with a reminder that we all have the right as citizens to read for free, and that our libraries are brimming with ideas - dangerous, fun and diverting, as well as educational and practical, that can change our lives. Libraries offer a place to read too - where you don't have to buy anything! We are delighted to have kicked off the year with a groundbreaking collaboration - and we will continue to promote libraries for the rest of the Year.''

Devised in partnership with The Reading Agency, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and the Society of Chief Librarians, the library membership campaign aims to recruit 350,000 members throughout the course of the year.

Join a Library Day will be followed by the official launch of the Devon Gets Reading campaign by the former Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo along with the Chairman of Devon County Council Brenda Taylor on Monday (April 28), which is designed to boost literacy across the county.

For more information go to http://www.devon.gov.uk/nyr-join-devon.htm