If Raise-A-Reader communities were books, Kamloops and neighbours would be best sellers.

The annual fundraising campaign for literacy set a local record this year and came close to the top across Canada.

Final numbers show Raise-A-Reader campaigns in Kamloops, Chase, Barriere, Logan Lake, Clearwater and Merritt raised nearly $80,000. All of the money will stay in the communities.

Daily News publisher Tim Shoults said the goal was simply to beat last year's numbers.

"It's just astounding. We were third overall in Canada, ahead of such 'minor' markets like Toronto, Ottawa, Regina, Saskatoon and, of course, Kelowna," he said.

The final total reflects a contribution from the B.C. government of roughly $35,000.

"All the money will help literacy programs here," he said.

People in the city stepped up big-time for this campaign, Shoults noted. Between newspaper hawking on the streets, donations and events like the Canspell spelling bee, the local fundraising committees proved to be "almost fanatical."

This year the newspaper printed off 4,500 special editions for street hawking for the event, which sold out.

The Kamloops Daily News has participated in Postmedia's Raise-A-Reader campaign for five years. Last year's campaign gathered $63,000, including matching funds from the province.