Southern Illinois University Edwardsville may soon be a Guinness World Record holder for “longest line of books!”
While results await official confirmation from Guinness Book of World Records, a remarkable effort was made on Friday, Sept. 8, International Literacy Day, as the campus and surrounding communities joined to create a path comprising 21,048 books stretching nearly three miles.
View a video of the effort here.
“Literacy is the great equalizer between all people,” said organizer Stephen Hupp, PhD, professor of psychology in the SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB). “I can’t imagine much of a better cause than helping promote literacy not just in this community, but across the world.”
“This world record attempt is a beautiful representation of SIUE’s values,” added SEHHB Interim Dean Paul Rose, PhD. “To see armies of students gathered, reflecting on literacy and children’s needs, and using teamwork effectively to complete a monumental project like this makes our University proud. At SIUE, we believe in powerful learning experiences that engage the community and enhance the places that we live.”
For more details on the successful effort, read this SIUE News Story.