North County folks love their library.

From June 30, 2007, to June 30, 2008, they checked out 215,384 items from the Hereford Library, an increase of 10.5 percent over the previous year.

The county library system's 17 branches averaged a circulation increase of 4.7 percent.

The library's door count showed that 114,667 people visited the branch, an increase of 9 percent.

Summer reading club numbers are also up from last year. Some 1,145 children have signed up, surpassing last year's 1,100 participants.

"We're already over last year's and the reading club still has three weeks to go," said librarian Doris Somers.

Students at four public and two private schools in the area were invited to the library on two nights to register for the summer reading club. A total of 270 registered.

The Hereford Library is at 16940 York Road.

Ride sharing cuts fuel costs, congestion

With no public transportation north of Hunt Valley, North County residents don't have much choice but to drive their cars. So, the State Highway Administration is urging people to share rides to and from work.

It recently reviewed its 100 Park and Ride lots in Maryland and noted the number of available spaces for those who want to leave a car in a lot while they carpool.

The lot at Mt. Carmel Road in Hereford has 18 available spots out of 54. Middletown Road in Parkton has 32 of 67 spaces available. But the lot at Old York Road in Parkton has no empty spaces among its 71.

The SHA counted spaces on two workdays -- one in the spring and one in the fall -- to arrive at the numbers. Actual available spaces may vary.

"Ride sharing has become an integral part of reducing highway congestion and SHA is working with local governments to expand facilities across the state," Neil Pedersen, SHA administrator, said in a statement.

A person with a 66-mile roundtrip who carpools saves about $560 a month or $6,720 a year in fuel cost, vehicle maintenance and depreciation, he said.

For a complete list of SHA park and ride locations, go to http://www.sha.state.md.us and search under the "Keeping Current" tab. All Park and Ride lots are free and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Church hopes to send gifts to poor children

Members of Union United Methodist Church's Sunday School are already thinking about Christmas.

They hope to raise money through paper recycling to pay for the cost of shipping Christmas boxes to children worldwide.

Paper recycling bins have been placed at the church parking lot, at 5225 Sweet Air Road in Baldwin.

They are accepting loose newspaper, magazines, catalogs, envelopes, fax and copy paper and phone books. They do not want cardboard, food or beverage cartons, boxes, brown paper bags, or paper that is tied together or put in boxes.

Last year, the church congregation donated enough toys, school supplies and hygiene items to fill 100 shoe boxes.

They were sent through Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan's Purse, a non-denominational evangelical Christian organization with headquarters in Boone, N.C.

For details, call 410-592-7709.

Et cetera

JoAnn Murphy, of Parkton, will continue for another year as president of the Baltimore County school board, following a board vote July 8. Members also voted to keep Ed Parker, of Dundalk, as vice president for another year.

The Baltimore County Police Department is recruiting participants for its annual, 12-week Citizens' Academy, scheduled to start in September. Call 410-584-8922 for information.

Gunpowder Falls State Park and Diddywopps & Keeffers, in Monkton, are soliciting contestants for a Northern Central Railroad photo contest to be judged in October. For details, call 410-472-3144 or go to www.diddywopps.com.

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