<div dir="ltr"><div>Hi everyone! I am excited to announce that LBPH has a great new Winter Challenge. Please help us reach 50K minutes read, starting January 1 and lasting through Jan 31st! </div><div><br></div>Below is a copy of our press release for the Winter Reading Challenge!! If you have any questions, please let me know! And please join us in this awesome reading spectacular! <div><br></div><div>Best,</div><div><br></div><div>Ashley<br><div><br></div><div><h1 style="margin:12pt 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:16pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(46,116,181);font-weight:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">For Immediate Release</span></b></h1>
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<h1 align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:12pt 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:16pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(46,116,181);font-weight:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">Contact:</span></b></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Ashley Biggs</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Maryland State Library for the </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Blind and Physically Handicapped</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">410-230-2430 | 667-209-1563</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"><a href="mailto:Ashley.Biggs1@maryland.gov" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,255)">Ashley.Biggs1@maryland.gov</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="text-align:right;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"><a href="http://www.lbph.maryland.gov" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,255)">www.lbph.maryland.gov</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"></span></p>
<h1 style="margin:12pt 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:16pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(46,116,181);font-weight:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">Monday, December 17, 2018</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext"></span></b></h1>
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<h1 align="center" style="text-align:center;margin:12pt 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:16pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(46,116,181);font-weight:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:windowtext">Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped Hosts Winter Reading Challenge</span></b></h1>
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<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Top participating libraries could receive a cash prize</span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Mark Cuban pledges $35,000 to libraries </span></p>
<p class="gmail-MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-stretch:normal;font-size:7pt;line-height:normal;font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">A goal of 50,000 minutes has been set for LBPH</span></p>
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<h1 style="margin:12pt 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:16pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:rgb(46,116,181);font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:7pt;color:white">Article</span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Baltimore, MD</span>–</b><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> The Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) is participating in the Second Annual Winter Reading Challenge, a collaborative effort from Mark Cuban (Shark Tank) and Beanstack, a reading tracking website used by libraries to offer prizes and incentives for readers. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Last year, billionaire investor Mark Cuban sponsored the inaugural Beanstack Winter Reading Challenge, in support of local libraries. He challenged over 100 public libraries across the country and South Korea to meet a collective goal of 1.3 million minutes and approximately 56, 000 books read during the month of January. Last year, he split his $35,000 incentive between First Book, a nonprofit that provides reading materials to children in need, and top-performing public libraries. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">This year, Mr. Cuban and Beanstack have set a collective goal of 5 million minutes and 75,000 books to be read across North America and South Korea. The contest begins January 1st, lasts through January 31st, and is open to all library patrons regardless of age. The library will be posting challenge updates on social media and will be following the <b>#WinterRead2019</b> hashtag. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">LBPH is requesting that patrons read 50,000 minutes during January. The library, with its nearly 9,000 active readers, believes this is a goal that can easily be met. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">“Our patrons are readers,” Leslie Bowman, Director, stated. “Our patrons checked out 11,879 books last January, which would definitely account for over 50,000 minutes.” The library provides books in audio, Braille, and large-print formats and predominantly sends materials to patrons directly through the US Postal Service. “Patrons can easily participate in the challenge by tracking their minutes, either online or by calling the library’s youth services librarian, LaShawn Myles, who is heading up the challenge.” Ms. Myles can be reached at </span><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"><a href="mailto:lashawn.myles@maryland.gov" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,255)">lashawn.myles@maryland.gov</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">or 410-230-2455.</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">For patrons to participate in the challenge, register at </span><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"><a href="https://marylandlbph.beanstack.org/" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,255)">https://marylandlbph.beanstack.org</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">or review details at </span><span class="gmail-MsoHyperlink" style="color:blue;text-decoration-line:underline"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(51,51,255)"><a href="http://www.lbph.maryland.gov" style="color:blue"><span style="color:rgb(51,51,255)">www.lbph.maryland.gov</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">. Patrons can also call the library: 410-230-2424 for additional details. </span></p><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial;border-collapse:collapse">
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<p style="line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Ashley M. Biggs</span></b><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br>
<i>Outreach Librarian</i><br>Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped<br>Maryland State Library<br>415 Park Avenue<br>Baltimore, Maryland 21201-3603<br>
<br>410-230-2430 (office) | 667-209-1563 (cell) | 410-333-2095 (fax)<br>
</span><a href="mailto:ashley.biggs1@maryland.gov" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155cc">ashley.biggs1@maryland.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p>
<p style="line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1155cc"><a href="http://www.lbph.maryland.gov/" target="_blank">http://www.lbph.maryland.gov</a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p><p style="line-height:normal"><br></p><p style="line-height:normal"><a href="http://www.doit.state.md.us/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?agencycode=MSDE&SurveyID=86M2956" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial">Click here</span></a><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:black;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-repeat:initial"> to complete a three-question customer experience survey.</span><br></p>
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