MARATHON—Marathon Public Library is a recipient of a $2,500 Collections Enhancement Grant from the Texas Book Festival. The library is one of 53 libraries selected with $125,500 given to libraries across the state of Texas.
Marathon Public Library will focus on books that impart messages on diversity and social-emotional learning. And because diversity embraces such a broad range of human differences, the library will use these funds for books that address ethnicity, cultural and socioeconomic factors, and physical and learning disabilities.
“’When we read a book with children, then children – no matter how stressed, no matter how challenged – are drawn out of themselves to bond with other human beings, and to see and feel the experiences of others,’ said the late author Anna Dewdney. Books connect people with the world, expand people’s experiences, and inspire us with new ideas and knowledge,” explained Board President Erin Albright.
“When a young girl picks up a book that portrays female characters in the role of a scientist, explorer or builder, stereotypes are broken, and young minds are encouraged to pursue their passions. Books can take us beyond our community and everyday experiences to connect us with a deeper perspective and enriching experiences that teach us about diversity in race, religion, ethnicity, mental and physical abilities, gender and sexual orientation.”
“The inspiration for this grant came in part through a conversation with one of the mothers in our community. She asked, ‘Could we apply for a grant that would provide books about autism?’ She commented how her 6-year-old son was not able to see himself reflected in the books in our library. That led to larger reflections of the need to curate a diverse collection that represents our entire community to provide books in which children and adults can see themselves and learn about those different from themselves,” said Albright
Since the Texas Book Festival’s founding in 1995, it has been a part of the organization’s mission to promote literacy and support Texas libraries. Each year, funds raised at the annual Texas Book Festival support grants that are distributed to libraries across Texas the following year. Since 1996, the organization has funded 1,305 grants totaling over $3 million to 600+ libraries in every corner of the state.
The Texas Book Festival awards grants to support collection enhancement for Texas public libraries. This funding enables libraries to share the diversity and breadth of literature with their entire communities.
