A newly built “Star Wars”-inspired book drop will soon be put out on the floor of the Cortez Public Library, with the goal of appealing to book lovers of all ages for a summer reading program that includes chances to win special prizes.
Vince Conti, once a music video and Hollywood film set designer, but now an outreach and marketing staff at the library, built the new book drop with inspiration from the iconic “Star Wars” character R2-D2.
The original R2-D2 droid was sold at an auction in 2017 for close to $3 million, but the library’s makeshift, inspired version is far more modest, using a rubber trash can as the body, an acrylic skylight dome as the head and wooden legs, as well as a few auto accessories and pieces made using a 3D printer, Conti said.
The new book drop, which sprouted as an idea earlier in the summer from the commemorative “Star Wars” day of May 4, will replace the previous, less intriguing wooden book drop on the floor.
“This is eye catching,” Library Director Beth Edson said. “I think the kids and adults will all love it.”
Before the book drop is ready to be put out for public use, the library is awaiting the delivery of a cushion meant to go inside the receptacle and protect books from damage.
Library staff hope that the new book drop will help draw in more participants for the library’s summer reading program and expand the readership of Cortez.
While adults can participate, the library prioritizes keeping youths reading during the summer lapse in education.
“Especially the students, if they do not continue to read over the summer, they can slide back a reading level or two,” Edson said.
“We’re helping students be prepared to go back to school with strong reading skills.”
Those who submit their summer reading logs up until July 31 could win grand prizes, Edson said.
Prizes available for kids includes tablets, robots, Lego sets and cards for the popular gaming platform Roblox. Teenagers could win Amazon gift cards, Beats headphones and tablets or Roblox cards as well.
Adults who turn in their reading logs get a free pint glass with a special logo for the summer reading program (also designed by Conti) and have a chance to win a $100 dollar gift certificate.
The program has already surpassed its goal of 500 people signed up, Edson said.
E-books, audiobooks, magazines and newspapers could all qualify for the book logs. There is no set number of books pages or words that need to be read.
“We just want people reading,” she said. “Everything counts.”
Vince Conti was once an employee at The Journal, working on the advertising and sales side.
