Education Secretary Margaret Spellings Announces $18.2 Million to Enhance Libraries in Low-Income Schools

Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grants provide opportunities for development of students' reading skills

July 18, 2008 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the award of $18,258,896 to enhance libraries in 59 low-income school districts across the United States. The grants aim to help students improve reading achievement by increasing their access to up-to-date and technologically advanced school library materials.

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"Reading is the foundation for all other learning, and the key ingredient for keeping students engaged and focused," Spellings said. "These grants will help school libraries keep up with the rising demands of our information age, so that they, in turn, can help students develop the critical thinking and information retrieval skills needed for success in today's world."

The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program is designed to help schools meet the reading and other literacy challenges of their students. Funds can be used to acquire books and other library holdings; improve schools' technological resources and capabilities; facilitate Internet links and other resource-sharing networks; provide professional development for library personnel; enhance opportunities for collaboration among library specialists, teachers, and administrators; and expand hours of access to library services.

For more information about the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, visit: ed.gov/programs/lsl.

Source: Dept. of Education