Interesting....when growing up, my city was population of 30,000 (now it's over 200,000) and we had well-stocked libraries.

Like Mountain Ash, I had a friend in middle school where she and I in an informal, fun way engaged in reading contest. The English compostion class required all students to record in common log book of books that we read.

Must have logged in over 200 titles by the end of school year. Books were 100-300 pgs. long. I was 14 yrs. old. Wasn't a chore to me. I found this school assignment so easy!
No, there was no prize or recognition at end. Or if there was, don't remember because didn't care.

No didn't swap titles with friend since she lived in another part of city and she had slightly different reading taste. She was getting into more feminist stuff. No kiddin' at age 14: she politely didn't understand my diet of teenage love novels at that age, amongst the history, art and politics that I read also.