TURNING THE PAGE. Local org's little library program is celebrating its first anniversary in February. (Photos via Coalition website)

Last February, the Early Literacy Coalition of the Greater Chippewa Valley launched its Chippewa Valley Little Libraries program, offering youths and families wider access to books. One year later, the program is celebrating its anniversary – and its 2,000-book milestone.

The first little library installed by the Coalition was at the Owen Park Playground in Eau Claire. Since then, the program has expanded to sites in Eau Claire and Chippewa Counties that provide basic needs services for families in the community, including Anges’ Table, Bloomer Food Pantry, Bolton Refuge House, Feed My People Food Bank, Stanley Laundromat, and others.

“Just as food provides essential nutrition for the health and physical development of children, so too do books provide essential nourishment for children’s brain and language development,” says Jerissa Koenig, Early Literacy Outreach Library at L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and Co-chair of the Early Literacy Coalition.

Youths and their families are invited to choose a book to take home and keep from the little libraries – books aimed at kids ages 0-8 – and more early literacy information to empower parents and caregivers. In total, 2,000 books have been distributed through this program so far.

Learn more about and support the project by visiting the Early Literacy Coalition of the Greater Chippewa Valley website.