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November 21, 2008

Pat McGuckin
Henry Haupt

Jesse White, Illinois Literacy Foundation Team Up with Borders/Waldenbooks for Holiday Literacy Donation Program

CHICAGO – For the sixth year in a row, Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White, the Illinois Literacy Foundation and 64 Borders and Waldenbooks stores are uniting to raise money from customers to enhance literacy appreciation and awareness for local literacy initiatives.

From Monday, November 24th through Wednesday, December 31st, 2008, the Holiday Literacy Donation Program will raise funds for local literacy organizations. Each Borders and Waldenbooks store is partnered with a local literacy program, and each store will give customers the opportunity to add one dollar or more to their purchase to benefit the local literacy program. The Illinois Literacy Foundation selects the recipient literacy organization.

“As State Librarian overseeing literacy efforts in Illinois, I am very proud to once again join and commend the Illinois Literacy Foundation, Borders and Waldenbooks for their tremendous efforts to raise vitally needed funds and enhance our state’s literacy efforts,” White said.

Over the past six years, customers’ donations have resulted in thousands of books and related materials being placed in libraries, schools, youth groups, senior adult day centers, shelters, pre-schools, resource centers and local literacy programs.

The Illinois Literacy Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes literacy through partnerships with the private sector and corporate community. For more information about the Illinois Literacy Foundation, log on to: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/who_we_are/ilf.html.