Carmel Clay Public Library (CCPL) will host Word on the Shelf on Dec. 4 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Teen Program Room at the main location.

Karen Steinberger, Teen Services Librarian at CCPL, said the event is only open to the Teen Volunteer Corps (TVC) to earn community service hours.

“Students in grades 6-12 are welcome to attend the Read-In; however, only members of CCPL’s Teen Volunteer Corps (TVC) are eligible to earn service hours,” she said. “TVC participants can receive up to ten service hours for their involvement in the Read-In. Attendees will also have the opportunity to discover volunteer options, explore the library’s collection and enjoy reading materials of their choice.”

Senior Simran Parikshak said her enthusiasm for reading has faded in the past couple years, but she hopes this opportunity will help bring it back.

“I am not a part of TVC right now, but I am going to try to join it soon,” she said. “I feel like it would motivate me to actually [read] books since I would be getting volunteer hours for it too. But for this time, I am just going to go for fun and see if it is worth being a part of the volunteer corps.”

Parikshak said the reason she is insistent on getting volunteer hours is because of her ongoing college applications.

“I’m submitting to my regular decision schools in just another couple weeks, so I am trying to get as many last-minute service hours I can in, and this seems like a pretty fun opportunity to do so,” Parikshak said.

Senior Chris Tichindilean agreed, and said he has gotten a large amount of hours through TVC.

“Over the past couple months I have been going to almost every TVC opportunity I see for (college applications). I don’t know if it’ll do much, but it doesn’t hurt to try, and there’s no harm to volunteering,” he said.