YALSA and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation award grants to 20 libraries

For Immediate Release
Tue, 03/12/2013

Contact:

Jaclyn Finneke

Communications Manager

Young Adult Library Services Association

1-800-545-2433 ext.2128

jfinneke@ala.org

CHICAGO  — The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announces the winners of its Summer Reading Program Grants, which are funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation.  Twenty libraries are receiving $1,000 to help fund summer reading programs for teens.

“YALSA is pleased to work with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to support summer reading programs for teens,” said Jack H. Martin, YALSA president. “Our members have lots of wonderful, creative ideas, and it is a pleasure to be able to help them implement them.”

The recipients of the Summer Reading Program Grant are:

·         Joyce Arellano, Franklin Park (Ill.) Public Library District

·         Michael Cherry, Evansville (Ind.) Vanderburgh Public Library

·         Sherry Christman, Coatesville (Pa.) Area Public Library

·         Allyson Evans, Calvert Library, Prince Frederick, Md.

·         Erin Downey Howerton, Wichita (Kan.) Public Library

·         Lynndy Hurdle, Strayhorn High School Library, Sarah, Miss. 

·         Penny Johnson, Baraboo (Wis.) Public Library

·         Flora Kim, Bound Brook (N.J.) Memorial Library

·         Laura Lehner, Hudson (Ohio) Library & Historical Society

·         Joan Light-Kraft, Montrose (Colo.) Library District

·         Stacy Lienemann, Watonwan County Library, St. James, Minn.

·         Tammy Mulhearn, Livingston (La.) Parish Library

·         Julia Simpson, Auburn (Ga.) Public Library

·         Shanna Smith, Mesa County Public Library District, Grand Junction, Colo.

·         Jessica Swift, Baright Public Library, Ralston, Neb.

·         Alyssa Szabo, Zion-Benton Public Library, Zion, Ill.

·         Staci Terrell, Anderson (Ind.) Public Library

·         Laura Truman, Avondale (Ariz.) Public Library

·         Julie  Vaught, Florence (S.C.) County Library

·         April Wallace, Pinson (Ala.) Public Library

 “The Dollar General Literacy Foundation is proud to support YALSA’s efforts to assist librarians with their teen reading programs,” said Denine Torr, Dollar General’s director of community initiatives. “Summertime is a great time for teens to discover the joy of reading for pleasure while also continuing to learn.”

YALSA has also used funds generously provided by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to create an online community that any interested librarian or library worker can join to find and share ideas about summer reading and summer learning.  The site can be accessed at http://summerreading.ning.com/

About Dollar General
Dollar General is a leading discount retailer with 10,000 stores in 40 states. Dollar General stores provide convenience and value to customers by offering consumable basic items such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids and cleaning supplies, as well as basic apparel, house wares and seasonal items at everyday low prices. The company has a longstanding tradition of supporting literacy and education. Since 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded more than $71.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations, helping more than 4.1 million individuals take their first steps toward literacy, a general education diploma or English proficiency. To learn more about Dollar General, visit www.dollargeneral.com.

For more than 50 years, YALSA has worked to build the capacity of libraries and librarians to engage, serve and empower teens.  For more information about YALSA or to access national guidelines and other resources go to www.ala.org/yalsa, or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390; or e-mail: yalsa@ala.org.