Children were introduced to new stories on Wednesday.
In the morning, preschoolers were invited to the Stephenson Memorial Library for a book reading and giveaway.
Later on, an event at the Greenfield Elementary School introduced students to new books.
The two-part event was made possible through the Children’s Literacy Foundation Rural Libraries grant, which the library applied for and won.
It allowed the library to select $2,000 worth of new books for its children’s collection, and provided Greenfield Elementary School with $500 new books for the school’s library.
CLiF Founder Duncan McDougall came to the event and read stories to the two separate groups.
“We support rural libraries because they serve as a vital community gathering place and are often the main source of books for many miles around,” McDougall said in an email. “Many also have very limited budgets that restrict their ability to provide high-quality books to the children and families they serve.”
He said CLiF helps fill that gap through providing a wide range of books about people, cultures, adventures, and experiences.
CLiF is an independent nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Its mission is to foster a love of reading and writing among low-income, at-risk, and rural children in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Since its inception, McDougall said it has given Rural Library Sponsorships to more than 85 percent of all rural libraries across the two states.
McDougall said the organization doesn’t receive any state or federal funding and relies on more than 550 private donors that make the programs possible. The event on Wednesday was supported through a donation through the Hersher Family Foundation.
“It was an exhilarating day to be Greenfield’s librarian,” Julie Perrin, Director at the Stephenson Memorial Library, said after the event on Wednesday.
She said she was moved by the impressive turnout of so many preschool families during the morning session.
“But my favorite part of the day was at Greenfield Elementary School when Duncan asked the entire school who had visited their public library and every hand in the room went up,” Perrin said. “I can’t tell you how much it means to know that we have grown a community of young library users, and it is so heartwarming to be able to bring them the books, programs, and experiences provided through this grant from CLiF.”
The grant will also support the library’s new literacy initiative called the Author’s Chair, a program that encourages creativity and story writing among children. The program will be launched in January as part of the library’s winter reading program.
In June, a second storytelling presentation by CLiF will help the Stephenson Memorial Library kick off its summer reading program.
Abby Kessler can be reached at 924-7172, ext. 234 or akessler@ledgertranscript.com.