Elgin, Fletcher, Sterling first graders to take home books of their very own

ELGIN — A grant from the Foundation for Rural Service is allowing Elgin Community Library to continue what has become a popular community tradition.

The library received a $2,000 grant from the foundation, the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, based on an application filed by Hilliary Communications.

Librarian Leslie Durham said grant funds are covering the cost of something the library has been doing for at least eight years: buying a book for every first grader in Elgin, Fletcher and Sterling. Durham said the project started as a community engagement project, something to let the community know “hey, there is a library here.” She said it began when Hilliary Communication approached the library with the grant suggestion and library officials jumped at the chance.

“It’s just a good way to promote the library,” she said, explaining the program is a highlight of Dr. Seuss Week, the first week in March annual celebration that marks the March 2 birthday of beloved children’s author Theodore Geisel, who wrote children’s books under the name Dr. Seuss.

Durham said the idea, then and now, is giving every first grader in those three school districts their own book, emphasizing the point that the book is theirs to keep by putting a nameplate with the child’s name inside (that means teachers also are involved in the project, Durham said).

This year, Elgin Community Library actually will be offering five Dr. Seuss books to distribute to an estimated 250 first graders in Elgin, Fletcher and Sterling.

“We can’t order that many books of one title,” she said, explaining the program typically acquires multiple titles, then distributes one title to Fletcher, another to Sterling, and divides the rest among Elgin students.

Durham said first graders are the recipients because that is the year children are “really getting into that” as far as sight words and learning to read. The program ensures that every first grader has at least one book of their very own.

“This is their book. They can take it home. In some instances, it’s the only book in the home,” she said.

Durham said she will follow tradition with this year’s books: making arrangements with each school to visit campus and distribute books sometime during the first week of March.

“I usually have other activities geared around Dr. Seuss,” she said, of library activities tied to the book distribution and coordinated by the library, schools and volunteers.

The program means volunteers will read a Dr. Seuss book to the children, then distribute a different Dr. Seuss book. This year, the choices are “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut”, “What Pet Should I Get?”, “In a People House”, “Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now?” and “O Say Can You Say?”

The books have been on standby for weeks: Durham said a member of Elgin’s Friends of the Library took the project under her wing, buying books during Black Friday sales. As a result, Elgin Community Library has enough to distribute in March, and a head start on the 2025 project.

The grant is part of the NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association’s 2024 program that distributed more than $105,000 to 23 recipients served by NTCA members. The grants support community projects in rural communities, with NTCA members contributing 10 percent of the total award amount to the communities who win grants.