Annual Drive Nets Thousands of Books for Centre County Children

The Mid-State Literacy Council’s sixth annual children’s book drive has collected about 3,000 books to distribute to children in Centre County.

The drive, which runs from December through April, collects new and gently-used books for preschool through 6th grade, with an emphasis on non-fiction titles. It is an important effort for many local families who may not have the resources to purchase their own books, explained MSLC executive director Amy Wilson.

“This lack of having books at home to read during the summer can result in students losing many of the skills they acquired in the previous school year,” Wilson said.

Books are distributed to students at Howard, Mountain Area, Port Matilda and Wingate elementary schools.

MSLC is a State College-based non-profit organization that promotes literacy among adults. It is funded entirely by the local community and receives no government funding. Reading skills developed during elementary school years are essential to building a strong foundation of literacy that is critical to daily adult life, according to the organization.

In Centre County, 11 percent of residents have a low literacy rate, according to U.S. Census data.

The book drive was supported by Barnes & Noble, the Penn State Center for Performing Arts at Penn State and Grace Lutheran Church.

“It has been very meaningful for the Center for the Performing Arts staff and patrons to have the opportunity to give back when they come to the theater,” said Medora Ebersole, the center’s education and community programs manager, in a release.

The Center for the Performing Arts collected 34 boxes of books during the drive.

Sharon Bittel, Howard Elementary School librarian and media instructor at Bald Eagle Area School District, said that each year children look forward to receiving the books.

‘Students love telling us about their libraries at home and how they read the books over and over,’ she said. ‘Many of our students do not have access to a school or public library in the summer. The forever books you donate let them know people care about them and their reading progress.’

Community members can continue to donate books to MSLC at at 248 E. Calder Way, Suite 307. For more information on the organization and its literacy programs, visit mid-stateliteracycouncil.org or call (814) 238-1809