Dare County children have the entire month of April to demonstrate creative talents for a chance to be rewarded with a $25 gift certificate.

While not an official part of the 60th National Library Week, running April 8-14, the 11th annual Dare County Library Bookmark Contest is a local event open to children age two through 18.

“We are always amazed at the creations we get,” said Jonathan Wark, librarian for the Dare County branch of the East Albemarle Regional Library system.

Wark said the contest started April 2 and runs through the end of the day Wednesday, May 2, with entry forms available at any of the three Dare County Library branches located in Hatteras, Kill Devil Hills or Manteo.

Entry forms include blank bookmarks children can decorate with any library-related pictures and/or words provided all work is original with no copyrighted material used.

Entries will be separated into four age categories: 2-6, 7-9, 10-13 and 14-18 and judged by a library staff panel. The winner in each age group will receive a gift certificate to a local bookstore.

“The winning bookmarks will be printed in color and available at each of the libraries throughout the year,” added Wark.

While the Dare County Bookmark Contest is a local event, National Library Week is a nationwide observance sponsored by the American Library Association and first celebrated in 1958 after research showed Americans were spending more on radios, televisions and musical instruments than on books.

In 1957 a plan for National Library Week was developed based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries.

The three Dare County library locations operate as part of the East Albemarle Regional Library System. Dare County borrowers have access to materials owned by Barco, Corolla and Moyock libraries in Currituck County and the Camden County Library, as well as the Pasquotank County Library in Elizabeth City.

Items are regularly shared between the libraries within the regional system as a free service.

Services available at a library branch include internet and wifi access, copier (black and white), fax service, meeting room for non-commercial events, local history and genealogy collection, weekly preschool and school age programs and summer reading programs.