By Fred Petke

Clark County children aren’t the only ones to win prizes for reading this summer.

For almost as many years as the Clark County Public Library offered a summer reading program for children, there has been one for adults as well.

Starting Thursday, adults with a valid Clark County library card can begin earning tickets for each item they check out through the end of July, said CCPL Director of Adult Services John Maruskin.

While the children earn tickets for free books based on the number of books they read, the adult program counts items checked out, including DVDs and CDs.

“You don’t have to read anything,” Maruskin said. “What we want to do is get people engaged with the library.

Adults can also earn extra tickets by attending adult programs at the library throughout the summer, he said.

At the end of July, winning tickets will be drawn for one of six themed book baskets: do-it-yourself, Kentucky, backyard homesteads, cooking, games and puzzles, and writing, he said.

Each participant also gets a canvas library bag when they register, which includes a ticket, he said.

The good news is there are a multitude of adult programs throughout the summer to earn extra tickets. Some of those are fun, like a pair of concerts on the library lawn, and others require thought like open-ended community forums.

Both programs share the theme of “Build a Better World,” he said.

The discussion programs are designed to be fun and accessible, he said. The first will seek ideas about making Winchester more fun. The second will focus on how to keep Winchester beautiful.

“This will jsut be an open discussion about what people want to see in Winchester,” Maruskin said. “We’ll take note to see what people have to say. Once we get comfortable with each other, we can get into heavier topics.”

The first of the concerts will be Friday with percussionist Tripp Bratton. The other on June 16 will feature Lexington musician Bruce Lewis playing gypsy jazz, which he picked up while spending a decade in Romania, he said

Both concerts begin at 7 p.m. Those attending should bring their own chair or blanket. Drinks and snacks will be offered.

For more information, call the library at 744-5661.