LITERACY FOR ALL. The Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library will use a new grant to support a variety of programs, such as creating Little Libraries like this one. (Submitted photo)

The Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in downtown Eau Claire have continued to support and introduce literacy-focused initiatives and projects to the community, including Books on Buses, Eau Claire Laundromat Libraries, and Chippewa Valley Little Libraries. On March 26, the library announced the group had accepted a $19,000 grant from the Pablo Foundation to sustain those programs.

“The funds will be used to sustain established library programs designed to distribute books and services throughout the Eau Claire area, with a special emphasis on reaching underserved families in the community,” a recent media release explained. “Specifically, the grant will help maintain the library’s Books on Buses, Eau Claire Laundromat Libraries, and Chippewa Valley Little Libraries.”

“We are so thankful for the library’s efforts in coordinating the distribution of these high-quality and carefully selected multi-lingual books that are then strategically placed in areas targeted to reach underserved families.”

MAIVUE XIONG

pablo foundation executive director

Books on Buses was launched in 2017 and since then has distributed 13,000 books to area readers in partnership with Eau Claire Transit, making books freely available on all city buses.

Eau Claire Laundromat Libraries launched in 2022 through a partnership with UW-Madison Division of Extension Eau Claire County and has since provided nearly 3,700 high-interest, diverse books to children ages 0-8 in English, Spanish, and Hmong via seven local laundromats. The program is now managed through the library’s Youth Services and the Friends of the Library, with library staff curating collections of books and literary resources also available at each site.

In February 2023, Chippewa Valley Little Libraries launched in partnership with the Early Literacy Coalition of the Greater Chippewa Valley, supported by additional organizations. To date, the program has distributed about 2,000 books and literary resources for kids.

The Friends will use the Pablo Foundation grant over the next 12 months to purchase additional books and resources to serve the community. It will also support the group’s efforts to design new, complementary services for those current programs.

“We are so thankful for the library’s efforts in coordinating the distribution of these high-quality and carefully selected multi-lingual books that are then strategically placed in areas targeted to reach underserved families,” Pablo Foundation Executive Director MaiVue Xiong said in a media release. “We know how busy parents with young children are, and a quiet moment on the bus, a day at the laundromat, or a day at the park, provides the perfect opportunities to share a book together, or to bring it home to be repeated. We know these little moments add up in a big way in building a love for literacy.”

For those interested in financially supporting the library's literacy outreach programs, contact Deputy Director Kim Hennings at kimberlyh@eauclaire.lib.wi.us. To donate online, visit www.ecpubliclibrary.info/give and click “Donate Here.” In the donation form, under Donation Type, select “In Honor Of,” and then enter “Youth Literacy” into the special instructions field.

Learn more about the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library online.