July 23, 2002 Viburnum Foundation/Center for the Book Family Literacy Grantees for 2002-2003 Announced

Forty-eight small public libraries in 10 states will receive $3,000 family literacy grants from the Viburnum Foundation as part of the 2002-2003 Viburnum Foundation/Center for the Book Family Literacy Project.

"Thanks to the continued generosity of the Viburnum Foundation, this year a record number of small public libraries are receiving family literacy grants," said John Y. Cole, director of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. "This is the center's most widespread and effective grass-roots literacy project. Since 1998, when the center became the project's cosponsor, grants have gone to more than 175 small public libraries in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Texas."

The project provides for the planning and promotion of family literacy programs among rural public libraries and their community partners. The Center for the Book administers the project and organizes and conducts two training workshops each year for new participants. This year the workshops will be held in Columbia, S.C. on Aug. 14-16, and in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Sept. 25-27. Center for the Book consultant Virginia H. Mathews, a nationally known family literacy expert and library advocate, is project coordinator. She is assisted by two Center for the Book staff members: project specialist Anne Boni, and Patricia White, executive assistant.

Libraries receiving the grants for 2002-2003 are listed below (unless otherwise indicated, the name of the library and its location are the same).

ALABAMA

Ashland City Public Library; Ariton-Dot Laney Memorial Library, Ariton; Harrison Regional Library, Columbiana; Lucile L. Morgan Library, Heflin; Ozark-Dale County Public Library, Ozark; Troy Public Library.

ARIZONA

Benson Public Library; Cocopah Tribal Library, Somerton; Cooper Queen Library, Bisbee; Hayden Public Library; Patagonia Public Library; Tucson-Pima Public Library, Tucson.

ARKANSAS

Crawford County Library System, Van Buren; Searcy County Library, Marshall; Monroe County Library, Clarendon.

GEORGIA

Clayton County Library System, Jonesboro; Lake Blackshear Regional Library, Americus; Satilla Regional Library, Douglas; Southwest Georgia Regional Library, Bainbridge; Uncle Remus Regional Library System, Madison.

LOUISIANA

Audubon Regional Library, Clinton; Desoto Parish Library, Stonewall Branch, Stonewall; Vermilion Parish Library, Abbeville; Washington Parish Library, Franklinton; West Baton Rouge Parish Library, Port Allen.

MISSISSIPPI

Bolivar County Library System, Cleveland; Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, Columbus; G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library, Flowood Branch, Brandon; Forest Public Library of Central Mississippi Regional Library System, Brandon; Pine Forest Regional Library, Richton.

NEW MEXICO

Embudo Valley Library, Dixon; Glenwood Community Library; Jemez Springs Public Library; Silver City Public Library; Socorro Public Library.

OKLAHOMA

Bartlett-Carnegie Sapulpa Public Library, Sapulpa; Public Library of Enid and Garfield County, Enid; Tecumseh Public Library.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Berkeley County Library, Moncks Corner; Colleton County Memorial Library, Walterboro; Sumter County Library, Sumter; Williamsburg County Library, Kingston; York County Library, Rock Hill.

TEXAS

Crowley Public Library; Duval County/San Diego Public Library, San Diego; Longview Public Library; McGinley Memorial Library, McGregor; Val Verde County Library, Del Rio.

The Center for the Book was established in 1977 to use the resources and prestige of the Library of Congress to stimulate public interest in books, reading, literacy and libraries. For information about its programs, publications, and the activities of its affiliated centers in 47 states and the District of Columbia, visit its Web site at www.loc.gov/cfbook.