"Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) started the ENMU Reads program in 2020 to support summer reading in the state of New Mexico. Additionally, we wanted to find a way to connect our university with our main target audiences in New Mexico: potential future students.
In summer 2021, we expanded the ENMU Reads program to include libraries in West Texas. We expanded ENMU Reads from 32 libraries in 2020 to 59 libraries and over 90 branch locations across West Texas and New Mexico. We partnered with businesses around New Mexico and West Texas to provide prizes for this program. We partnered with the Albuquerque Isotopes, El Paso Chihuahuas, and Amarillo Sod Poodles to provide game tickets as grand prizes. We partnered with Domino's locations across New Mexico to provide free pizzas to libraries as grand prizes. We also partnered with Whataburger, which provided prizes and over 15,000 bookmarks with free Whataburger Jr. burgers coupons on them.
Overall, ENMU provided over 8,900 certificates, over 14,000 bookmarks, 134 posters to be hung in libraries, and more then 14,000 coloring book sheets to be handed out as prizes and items to support summer reading. Our cost on this in total was under $5,000 to produce and mail all of these items."
From the Judges
This entry showed a great use of partnership and addressed a need that aligned with the university's mission. Good use of resources and understanding of the target audience.
