By Dena Wood
The Times
Christmas at the Library!
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December 11, 2014
Clockwise from top: (l to r) Angela and Reid Mohney, Emerson Kiefel, and Wyatt Huwe read one of the new books with librarian Rosie Warehime.
WAITSBURG - Weller Public Library manager Rosie Warehime waited until she had the library all decked out for Christmas before letting her youngest patrons open an extra-special present.
At Monday morning's Story Time, Warehime shared a box of 83 brand new children's books - purchased through a grant from the Libri Foundation and Friends of the Library donation -- with a group of excited young readers. The youngsters excitedly unpacked two large boxes of books, stopping to examine new favorites in the process.
The Libri Foundation is a nationwide, non-profit organization that donates new, quality hardcover books to rural libraries, usually those in towns with populations of less than 5,000, through their Books for Children grant program. They donate to rural libraries that operate with a limited budget and have an active children's department. The Foundation has donated over $5.8 million worth of books to over 3,300 U.S. libraries since it began in October in 1990.
Weller Library received the same grant in 2012, when former library manager Su Alexander applied for the grant. She was able to select $1,050 in children's books in addition to $350 in math and science books.
Wyatt Huwe expresses pleasure with a favorite find.
Typically, libraries may only apply for the grant once every three years, but Warehime said that, because of the newspaper coverage and public thank you given when they received the last grant, the Foundation emailed her and offered Waitsburg the grant again this year. Warehime was more than happy to take them up on their offer and selected 83 children's books, worth more than $1,400, from the approved book list of over 600 titles. The books range in level from infant board books to books for young adults.
In order to promote community involvement, the Foundation works with local groups like Friends of the Library and matches any amount of money raised by those sponsors on a 2-to-1 ratio (up to a $1,050 cap). Waitsburg's Friends of the Library is the Weller Library sponsor and donated the funds necessary to make the matching grant possible. All Books for Children books will have bookplates stating they are a donation of the Friends of the Library and the Libri Foundation.
"I think what they do for small libraries is great. It's just wonderful to have someone support us," said Warehime.
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