LEWISTON — Lewiston Public Library plans to once again participate in World Book Night, a global campaign to encourage reading by handing out free books. The library is now recruiting volunteer book givers who will be provided with books to hand out at a special Lewiston World Book Night event on April 23.

Across the U.S., a half-million free books will be handed out in towns and cities all on one day by enlisting 25,000 volunteer book lovers to help promote reading by personally handing out print copies to light or nonreaders and to those without the means or access to printed books.

Volunteer book givers may apply at www.worldbooknight.org through Jan. 5 by providing answers to several questions and picking their top three choices for books to give out from the 35 pre-selected World Book Night 2014 titles. The program is free and open to all.

The 35 World Book Night U.S. titles for 2014 were chosen by an independent panel of booksellers and librarians. Carl Lennertz, World Book Night U.S. executive director, said: “This year’s book selection is the most diverse ever, and we’ve increased the total number of picks this year to 35 in order to welcome in more authors and publishers. We have our first graphic novel, our first university press pick and the first Asian-American authors. As before, we have a book in English and Spanish, and two of the picks will also be available in large-print editions. In early 2014, we will announce a proprietary e-book in partnership with e-book technology company Livrada, with original content that all givers can offer to everyone. We are in talks about a digital audio download, as well.”

The World Book Night U.S. titles for this year are: “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” Diane Ackerman; “Kitchen Confidential,” Anthony Bourdain; “The Weird Sisters,” Eleanor Brown; “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” Stephen Chbosky; “After the Funeral,” Agatha Christie; “The Ruins of Gorlan: Ranger’s Apprentice Book 1,” John Flanagan; “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,” Jamie Ford (also in large print); “The Lighthouse Road,” Peter Geye; “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell; “Wait Till Next Year,” Doris Kearns Goodwin; “Catch-22,” Joseph Heller; “The Dog Stars,” Peter Heller.

Also, “Hoot,” Carl Hiaasen; “Pontoon: A Novel of Lake Wobegon,” Garrison Keillor; “Same Difference,” Derek Kirk Kim; “Enchanted,” Alethea Kontis; “Miss Darcy Falls in Love,” Sharon Lathan; “Bobcat and Other Stories,” Rebecca Lee; “Young Men and Fire,” Norman Maclean; “Tales of the City,” Armistead Maupin; “Waiting to Exhale,” Terry McMillan; “Sunrise Over Fallujah,” Walter Dean Myers.

Also, “Bridge to Terabithia,” Katherine Paterson; “The Botany of Desire,” Michael Pollan; “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” Ransom Riggs; “When I Was Puerto Rican,” Esmeralda Santiago; “Cuando Era Puertorriquena,” Esmeralda Santiagol; “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” Maria Semple (also in large print); “Wild,” Cheryl Strayed; “Presumed Innocent,” Scott Turow; “Code Name Verity,” Elizabeth Wein; “This Boy’s Life,” Tobias Wolff; and “100 Best-Loved Poems,” edited by Philip Smith.

For more information, contact the library’s Adult Services Department at 513-3135 or [email protected].