In keeping with the prestigious status of being recognised as the first African City of Literature by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), eThekwini Municipality has introduced a reading programme that allows readers to earn points for every book borrowed and read from our local libraries.

The winners could walk away with smart gadgets which could include an iPad, cellphone or tablet.

The Read for Rewards Programme is a card-earning point system where residents earn points on their library card by borrowing and reading books. Whoever has the highest score will be rewarded.

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The programme is the brainchild of Ntombiyenkosi Vezi, a senior librarian based at the Ntuzuma Library. Vezi recently won Best Innovator for the Read for Rewards Programme, which was implemented in all 95 libraries in eThekwini.

“The purpose of this programme is to attract patrons to our libraries and draw them into earning points by borrowing books using their library card,” said Vezi. The rewards programme has four categories namely, pensioners, adults, young adults and juniors.

All you have to do is register for the programme at your local library and readers with the highest points will be interviewed and requested to give a brief review of all the books read on their library card.

Library cardholders who enter the competition must ensure that they do not have any outstanding library fines over R10.