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Coudersport Library Receives Pilcrow Foundation Grant For Children’s Books

Coudersport Public Library is the recipient of a Pilcrow Foundation Children’s Book Project Grant, which will add more than a hundred new children’s books to the Library’s collection this summer.

Headquartered in Oregon, the Pilcrow Foundation provides new, quality, hardcover children’s books to rural libraries with limited operating budgets. Libraries which are awarded the grants provide a $400 local match and receive a total of $1,200 in children’s books for their permanent collections.

According to the Foundation, Coudersport Library’s award was sponsored through a generous donation from an anonymous donor from North Carolina. Teri McDowell, Library director, noted that the $400 local match was provided through a donation from Ruth Ann Wilson and Chris Wilson of Coudersport, made in memory of Bruce Wilson and Shane Wilson.

“In determining how we could come up with the funds on a limited budget, I thought of the generous donation that Ruth Ann and Chris had recently made, and asked Ruth Ann if we could dedicate a portion toward the Pilcrow Foundation match,” McDowell remarked. “Ruth Ann immediately agreed, and we’re so thankful to the Wilsons for helping to make this very significant acquisition happen. So many children will benefit from these new books.”

When the boxes arrived, the staff was delighted to learn that, in addition to the initial 70 picture book, fiction and non-fiction titles valued at approximately $1,200, an additional 42 books were included. Twenty-two of those are math and science books valued at $403, provided through a donation from Hal Berenson and Laura Ackerman of Colorado, while 19, donated by Drs. Bill Strawbridge and Meg Wallhagen of California, are related to health and wellness. Another was donated by Shout Mouse Pres, whose mission is “[to] empower those from marginalized backgrounds to tell their own stories in their own voices and, as published authors, to act as leaders and agents of change.”

“This gives us a total of approximately $2,000 in new books –112 books in all, many award-winning — geared to ages preschool through junior high,” McDowell noted. The director said that with ever-tightening budgets, maintaining an up-to-date collection while keeping the doors open is a challenge. “We believe that partnerships between not-for-profits and the community are crucial. These new acquisitions demonstrate a wonderful partnership between our local donors whose contribution allowed us to achieve the required match, the Pilcrow Foundation, and individuals from out of the area who believe strongly in the important role libraries play in the education of our children,” she remarked.

McDowell said the staff is hard at work cataloging the new books, which will go on display and be available for checkout over the next few weeks.

“So many children and parents are returning to the Library this summer, and we’re thrilled that they’ll have so many new, quality titles to choose from,” McDowell concluded.