Comedian Mitch Hedberg once said, “Every book is a children’s book if a kid can read.” With help from a grant to acquire new books, Moran children’s choices are growing.
“Books are very expensive when you order them straight from a distributor,” Librarian Connie McWhirter said. “Getting an opportunity that allows us to get these new books is wonderful.”
The money comes from the Libri Foundation. The organization is located in Eugene, Ore. and is dedicated to the single issue of providing rural libraries with new books. Libraries are eligible for money from the foundation once every three years. This is the second time Moran Public Library has received funds.
The money didn’t come without a little work though.
“We had a Christmas homes tour of three houses followed by music and refreshments at the community center,” McWhirter said. “That raised us the $300 we needed to fulfill our end of the grant program.”
Since receiving the books in February, children have picked up the books occasionally. However, McWhirter is preparing to promote the books as the summer reading program prepares to take off near the end of June.
“We’ll have an infant and preschool day where families will get a chance to see these books,” McWhirter said. “Then each Thursday in July we’ll bring groups of first through third grade and fourth through sixth grade kids in who will also get the chance to read some of them.”
Besides the new book collection, the library is preparing for the upcoming summer reading program as a way to entertain and also help children with their education. Several of the new books are part of the accelerated reading program that USD 256 promotes.
“These books are going to help out our young people so much,” McWhirter said. “I know the kids are going to enjoy them.”
