Cooperstown Central School students were honored Wednesday for their reading prowess.
The New York State Library announced the winners of this year’s Battle of the Books competition, “a test of literary knowledge that brought together talented middle and high school students from across the region,” a news release from the library stated. Held at the New York State Museum in Albany, the event saw competition between the North region, featuring teams from Fort Plain Central School District, Gloversville Enlarged School District and Canajoharie Central School District, and the South region, with participants from Cooperstown Central School District, Roxbury Central School District and Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District.
Cooperstown won the high school comptiution, according to the release, while Gloversville won the middle school contest.
In the competition, teams made up of 5 to 6 students went head-to-head against schools in their region, with one winner declared in the middle school and high school categories. They were asked to identify pre-selected books based on the quotes from within them, including the “I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.” — from “Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen.
There were six “intense” rounds of competition, the release stated.
State Librarian Lauren Moore said, “Battle of the Books is something we look forward to every year as it demonstrates the importance of libraries in a young person’s education and provides an opportunity for students to develop a love of literature in a fun, unique and meaningful way. A lot of studying goes into Battle of the Books, and I continue to be impressed with not only their recall, but the amount of strategy and comprehension that goes into the competition. … It was truly a wonderful day of literary exploration.”
When not competing, students took part in tours of the State Museum and the State Library, “gaining valuable insights into the educational resources available throughout their schooling and beyond, such as the Research Library and NOVELny, an online library available to every New Yorker, free of charge,” the release stated.
While Wednesday’s contest was the final for the two competing regions, other Battles of the Books may be held elsewhere throughout the state with other participating districts, according to the release.
The New York State Library, established in 1818, is the largest state library in the nation and one of the largest research libraries in North America,. the release stated. It oversees a network of more than 7,000 libraries statewide, serving an audience that includes researchers, educators, patrons, lawmakers, state agencies and the general public.
The library is at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany and is open to the public from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Researchers worldwide can also explore government documents and historical materials through the library’s digital collections.