The John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation awards Alfred, Scio, and Friendship $5000
From the Southern Tier Library System,
The Alfred Box of Books Library, Friendship Free Library, and Scio Memorial Library are recipients of grants to support children’s literacy and programming from the John Henry Eldred, Jr Foundation.
This annual grant provided by the foundation supports rural public libraries, recognizing that libraries serve as important centers of learning for children and their families. Grants provided by the foundation support literacy initiatives, children’s programming, and the development of collections to meet the needs of underserved populations.
Founded by John Henry Eldred, Jr., a lifelong advocate for books and reading, the Foundation was created to honor his late mother, Dorothy Louise Kyler, and their shared belief in the transformative power of literacy. Since 2012, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in grants to rural libraries, helping grow and enhance access to children’s and young adult collections.
“We are humbled to play a small part in supporting the essential work of rural libraries,” said Mike Deetsch, executive director of the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation. “These libraries serve as beacons of hope and opportunity, often in areas with limited resources. By working with them, we aim to help children and families discover the joy of reading and the doors it can open.”
Alfred Box of Books Library will use a $5,000 grant from the foundation to overhaul the juvenile non-fiction collections, providing updated resources for learners, and expand portions of the non-fiction collection where gaps have been identified. The funds will also be used to make additions to the young adult fiction and graphic novel collections.
Friendship Free Library was also awarded $5,000 and will use the funds to overhaul their children’s collection. The library will add additional shelving, create comfortable reading areas, add new books, and re-organize the collection to include reading levels, making the collection more accessible to children.
Scio Memorial Library will use its $5000 grant to create educational resource kits. Kits will contain educational materials that can be borrowed from the library. These kits will support at-home learning and exploration. The Scio Library also hopes to add more children’s books to increase their collections and provide additional support and resources for local teachers.
Libraries serve as essential points of learning, community, and engagement in rural areas. These grants will allow these libraries to better serve their communities by providing additional resources.
For more information about the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation and its mission, please visit jhefoundation.org.
