GIVE THE GIFT OF READING. The 29th annual Give a Kid a Book program is here, the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library group heading the program. (Photo via Unsplash)

For 29 years, the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library have organized the Give a Kid a Book program to provide the children of the Chippewa Valley with new books every holiday season.

“The Friends’ mission is to encourage literacy, discovery, and expression in the Chippewa Valley through support to the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and surrounding community,” said Stacey Yearous, program and development coordinator for the Friends. “This program helps to keep kids reading; to succeed in school, they need strong literacy skills, and we can help with that.”

“The Friends hope to build a community of lifelong readers and users of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Pubic Library. Sometimes it only takes one book to encourage kids to read more.”

STACEY YEAROUS

pROGRAM AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

There are several ways to give. New books can be purchased through Books-A-Million (4030 Commonwealth Ave., Eau Claire), which delivers the donations to the Friends. Folks who purchase new books elsewhere can drop them off at Level 0 of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library (400 Eau Claire St., Eau Claire) from now until Dec. 10. Beginning Nov. 27, new books or monetary donations can also be dropped off at Level 1 of the library by the Seasonal Bear Display.

“The Friends want each child in the Chippewa Valley to feel loved during the holiday season,” Yearous said. “We understand times are tough for some families, and if we can put a book in the hands of a child (and they and a) parent can sit down and read together, it’s a win.”

The donated books are organized into age groups: 0-2, 2-5, lower and upper elementary, and middle and high school. The books are then distributed to local agencies the program is partnered with who deliver them to the children, such as the Salvation Army, Early Learning Centers, Community Table, Head Start Programs, the Eau Claire Area School District, and more.

“The Friends hope to build a community of lifelong readers and users of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library. Sometimes it only takes one book to encourage kids to read more,” Yearous said. “The library is full of wonderful titles to explore. With our donation of books to the community, we hope it will encourage children and families to explore more titles at the library.”

You can learn more about the Give a Kid a Book program or donate at ecpubliclibrary.info. Anyone who wishes to support the Give a Kid a Book program through other means such as volunteering is welcome to fill out the public library’s volunteer form.