Members of the media center staff plan to introduce a “Speed Dating” reading event during SRT on Feb. 11 and 15, according to media manager Shanna Mooney. The staff members created the event in order to create an opportunity for students to read books for the Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award).

“The event is based on the speed dating phenomenon,” Mooney said. “We thought this reading event would be an interesting experience for many people, and it would go along with Valentines Day themes.”

The “Speed Dating” event will consist of students coming into the classrooms located in the media center during SRT and going around to preview books for two to three minutes. If students like a certain book, they can choose to take that book for a read, according to Mooney. Students will also have the option to start over and, if no book has been chosen by the end, students will pick a random book to check out.

Junior Will Baach, who said he might participate in the upcoming “Speed Dating” reading event, said he appreciates the media staff for planning different and interesting events every month.

“I think it’s a great idea to get people to read new books and explore different genres,” Baach said. “It’s good that the media center is always planning new events for students to be interested in.”

In addition to the reading event, the media staff plans to reintroduce their “Food for Fines” event that allows students to clear their library fines by bringing in nonperishable food items for the month of February, according to media department chairperson Bonnie Grimble.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to clear any fines they owe to the library,” Grimble said. “So students should take full advantage of this opportunity.”