Library Partners with Ukrop's for Storyhour Program

"Feed Me A Story" featured weekly at local grocery store.

A partnership between the Williamsburg Regional Library and Ukrop's Supermarket has resulted in the award of the 2000 Loleta D. Fyan Grant from the American Library Association (ALA) for a proposal entitled, "Feed Me A Story."

The project will allow the Williamsburg Regional Library to take storyhours to a place where most families spend time each week -- the local supermarket. The goal is to reach children who may never visit the library and who are not included in the regular outreach sites serviced by the library. It will also serve as a model that, with some minor adjustments, should be easy to replicate in other libraries around the country.

Steve Brown, award jury chair said, " The jury selected this proposal because of its originality and its refreshing potential as a model for outreach in public library children's programming. We believe the program has real promise of reaching an audience that is too often unaware of the
services offered by their library, and to enlist a potentially powerful new corporate partner in the effort."

Dean Sculthorpe, general manager of the Williamsburg store in the Ukrops Supermarkets store said "We are pleased to partner with the Williamsburg Regional Library on such a worthwhile cause -- that of children's literacy."

The $10,000 grant, given annually on a competitive basis, is named for Loleta D. Fyan, an ALA past-president (1951-52), who provided funds in her will. The grant supports a project that will develop and/or improve public library services, will effect changes that are innovative and responsive to the future and have potential for broader impact and application beyond a
specific local need.

READ MORE ABOUT "FEED ME A STORY"