THE CHILDREN'S LITERACY FOUNDATION

The Children's Literacy Foundation (CLIF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing a love of reading and writing among children throughout rural New Hampshire and Vermont. CLIF subsidizes the purchase of books for public libraries in towns with populations of under 5,000. The subsidy involves a 2-to-1 match of funds for a total of $900 (e.g., a library raises $300 from its community, CLIF provides matching funds of $600).

Sponsored libraries receive a CLIF booklist of over 500 books that include classics, Caldecott and Newbery award winners, recent titles, and a wide selection of books by local authors and illustrators. Once a librarian selects from the list, CLIF takes care of ordering, purchasing, and delivery.

This past fall, CLIF reviewed applications from libraries across the two states and selected six rural public libraries that received the first CLIF Library Sponsorship in 1998. Three recipients were located in New Hampshire (Hill, Twin Mountain, and Westmoreland) and three in Vermont (Canaan, Lincoln, and Stamford). In some cases, over 10% of the town residents attended an 'open house' held at their local library to celebrate the arrival of the CLIF books, and many of the new books soon left the library tucked under the arms of children!

In February 1999 CLIF awarded another twelve Sponsorships for six libraries in New Hampshire (Barnstead, Dalton, Danville, Grafton, Madison, and Marlow) and six in Vermont (Chelsea, Craftsbury, Derby, Marshfield, Royalton, and Tunbridge).

CLIF will award several new Library Sponsorships twice a year. The deadlines for each round of applications are February 1 and August 1. CLIF hopes to award at least 24 Sponsorships every year, and CLIF also plans to undertake other initiatives to promote children's literacy in coming months.

For more information about CLIF, or to receive an application for a CLIF Library Sponsorship, please contact: Duncan McDougall, Executive Director, Children's Literacy Foundation, PO Box 993, Hanover, N.H. 03755. Tele. (603) 643-5854; e-mail: childrens.literacy@valley.net.