YALSA and Dollar General Literacy Foundation Award Grants to 20 Libraries

For Immediate Release
Mon, 03/18/2013

Contact:

Jaclyn Finneke

Communications Manager

Young Adult Library Services Association

1-800-545-2433 ext.2128

jfinneke@ala.org

Grants to fund summer internships for teens at libraries

CHICAGO  —  Twenty libraries are receiving $1,000 to help fund summer internships for teens, the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), announced. The Teen Summer Internship Program Grants provided by YALSA are funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. 

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics says that fewer than three in 10 teens have summer jobs and that, overall, more than 44 percent of teens who want summer jobs either don’t get them or work fewer hours than they’d like.  By providing internships in libraries, YALSA is not only able to help teens build needed job skills, but these teen interns provide critical support to public libraries during their busiest season.

“YALSA is pleased to work with the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to offer internships to teens at the library, especially at a time when there are fewer jobs available for this age group,” said Jack H. Martin, YALSA president. “It is a pleasure to be able to offer teens an opportunity to participate in the work our amazing members do.”

The recipients of the Teen Summer Internship Program Grants are:

  • Danielle Anguish, Henderson County (Ky.) Public Library
  • Donna Block, Niles (Ill.) Public Library District
  • Rachee Fagg, Lansdowne (Pa.) Public Library
  • Laura Fisher, Mechanicville (N.Y.) District Public Library
  • Ron Fowler, Petoskey (Mich.) Public Library
  • Jodi Johnson, Ypsilanti (Mich.) District Library
  • Penny Johnson, Baraboo (Wis.) Public Library
  • Samantha Marker, Mount Laurel (N.J.) Public Library
  • Mary Ellen Mulcrone, Novi (Mich.) Public Library
  • Stacy Ogea, Hoyt Library, Saginaw, Mich.
  • Angela Parks, Olathe (Kans.) Public Library
  • Lynette Pitrak, Downers Grove (Ill.) Public Library
  • Melissa Rader, Delafield (Wis.) Public Library
  • Elizabeth Lynch Seeskin, Crete (Ill.) Public Library
  • Heather W. Smith, Eastern Lancaster County Library, New Holland, Pa.
  • Sandra Solomon, St. Martin Parish Library, St. Martinville, La.
  • Patricia VanArsdale, Hussey - Mayfield Memorial Public Library, Zionsville, Ind. 
  • April Wallace, Pinson (Ala.) Public Library
  • Aleck F. Williams, Colleton County Memorial Library, Walterboro, S.C. 
  • Cole Zrostlik, St. Croix Falls (Wis.) Public Library

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.