Crunch time for Corner Brook in library smackdown

It's been a month of trash talk between Corner Brook and Yellowknife in the battle for bragging rights as the best public library, and it's down to the wire for the win.

• Library smackdown! Yellowknife, Corner Brook libraries face off to draw in new readers

Corner Brook has until 5 p.m. Saturday to sign up new users and check out as many books as it can to take the lead away from the Northwest Territories capital.

The one area where Corner Brook was ahead Friday wasin the number of people attending its programs, such as this month'sLucy Maud Montgomery display, about the author of the iconic Anne Of Green Gables books.

"In the program number we got 'em," said librarian Sandee Harnum. As of Friday morning, "they were 1,073 and we were 1,384."

The challenge was the idea of Yellowknife librarian and ex-pat Newfoundlander John Mutford, who wanted to do something fun to celebrate Canadian library month.

Corner Brook has some work to do to catch up with Yellowknife's circulation. It's down by 1,000 items, and when it comes to signing up new members, Yellowknife is ahead by 23.

"This has been a very challenging month for the staff because we've been creative in the things we've been trying to do, how to get people in, how to encourage people to keep coming back, and it's been phenomenal. Everyone is going to be ready to rest in November," Harnum told CBC Radio's Corner Brook Morning Show.

They won't rest until the bitter end, with Halloween-themed programing and prizesplanned until closing time Saturday to draw people in.

Close competition

"So please people of Corner Brook and in the surrounding area, comeall ages, just bring I.D. with you, especially parents for childrenbring a piece of I.D., come in get your library card. We're 99, they were 122, so it's close."

Harnum said she and Mutford have been regularly comparing stats and trash-talking throughout the month-long competition. But ultimately both libraries benefit.

"Either way we're a winner, and either way Yellowknife's a winner, I mean what's been done this past month has been amazing on both parts."

While they are only competing for bragging rights, Harnum said Yellowknife has a surprise in store if itwins.

"We don't want to find out," she laughed.