The 10th annual NSL Reads contest and celebration were held on March 6 in North Salt Lake City hall and as with past events, this year’s was a huge success. The city’s Arts Committee puts on the annual Short Story Contest in conjunction with Read Across America held each year in March.

Local writer Frank Cole, author of “The Legend of the Lost Library,” was present to announce the winners, sign copies of his book and help with a popular game that was staged around the city hall. 

“This was started by the city to foster a love of reading and celebrate the joy of books,” said Camille Thorpe, a member of the Arts Committee. “NSL Reads engages residents with free family events that bring local authors to the city and a free writing competition to help residents discover their own writing talents.”

Leading up to the event, the writing contest is based each year on the theme of the local author they select, which was Cole this year. Thorpe said a writing prompt from his book was used for contestants in three categories – youth, teen and adults. Student assemblies were also held at local schools to promote the contest and the event. Cole spoke during the presentation of the awards, which came after attendees were able to participate in games set up around the city’s governmental center.

“Because of our theme, we included the little free libraries that are registered in our city,” Thorpe said. “We hid some of these libraries around the building, and families were given bingo cards to mark off as they found their locations. Families had their photos taken and given to get them after our April 1 city council meeting.”

She said all the organizers worked with city personnel who “were super supportive” of the NSL Reads program. 

“I think the city wants to be known for being innovative and creative in what we do in the arts,” she said. “We don’t have a library branch here in North Salt Lake, so holding an event like this and fostering reading right here in our city is very important to us. We want to pepper this message throughout the year instead of just focusing on it the week of Read Across America. The mini-libraries help and we’d love to see library expansion here in the future.”

Thorpe added that a number of events are planned in North Salt Lake this year, concluded with the Christmas lighting event in December.

Here is a list of winners for this year’s Short Story Contest, with the theme “Imagine a World with No Books.”

Adult Division

1st – Richard Siddoway, “Just My Type”

2nd – Ashton Hermann, “Algorithmic Dreams”

3rd – Jazmin Lister, ‘Rebelling Against the Organization”

Youth Division

1st – Kate Womack, ‘The Great Burn”

2nd – Jade Boyd, “A Wasted Life”

3rd – Ellin Boyd, “A Land with No Books”

Children’s Division

1st – Raven Boyd, “The World without Books”

2nd – Annabelle Jackson, “World without Books”

3rd – Mayzee Herrmann, “Lilac and the Book”