More than 18,000 people across Fulton County logged books this summer through the library system's "Unearth a Story" reading program, and Roswell Library on Norcross Street hosted events throughout the run.

The Fulton County Library System posted final numbers on Wednesday, Aug. 5, showing 18,308 total participants as of Aug. 3. The youngest readers led the way: 7,142 children ages 0–6 signed up through the Early Literacy track. Kids ages 7–12 accounted for 5,948 participants, while 1,269 teens and 3,949 adults rounded out the count.

The dinosaur-themed program ran June 1 through July 31, with registration opening May 1. Participants tracked their reading on Beanstack, an online platform where they could earn digital badges. The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library Foundation co-produced the effort.

Roswell's piece of the puzzle

At the Roswell Library, Children's Librarian Clark wrapped up the summer program with a two-book story time. Each child who attended walked away with a Disney on Ice ticket.

The Friends of the Roswell Library also timed their end-of-summer book sale to coincide with the program's final days, running July 31 through Aug. 3 with half-price items on the last day.

The program was free.

Roswell-specific enrollment numbers were not available in the countywide data.

What's next: 'Learning Lives Here'

The library system's August reading challenge, called "Learning Lives Here," runs through the end of August as part of the broader Year of the Book initiative. It is free and open to all ages.

The library system described the challenge on its Facebook page as an invitation to discover a book that teaches something new, opens the reader's mind or helps them see the world differently. Participants can log their choices through the same Beanstack platform used during summer reading.

The Roswell Library is at 115 Norcross St. and can be reached at (404) 612-9700. Registration for the August challenge is available at fulcolibrary.org.