A recent editorial by The Mining Journal Editorial Board emphasized the importance of reading and encouraged community involvement in summer reading programs at local libraries. We strongly agree and applaud The Mining Journal for supporting libraries and their programs.

The Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan, a statewide nonprofit headquartered in Marquette, participated for a third year in a GivingTuesday project with 25 small rural libraries, many of them in Marquette County. Recently, LLF Michigan was featured in a GivingTuesday Spark case study, which is being used as a resource for organizations around the world that want to inspire generosity in youth. Visit www.literacylegacyfund.org for details.

This is our third year contributing to small rural libraries because we believe in the importance of free public access to quality materials for citizens of all ages. Our mission is the improvement of literacy for citizens of all ages in Michigan, and libraries are a valuable source of materials and programs to support this mission.

LLF Michigan also encourages area families and guardians to enroll children under 5 years of age in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Children receive a book in the mail monthly at no charge thanks to the generosity of The Dollywood Foundation and support by LLF Michigan. Register a child at www.literacylegacyfund.org/dolly-partons-imagination-library/ 

We encourage you to take time to read to and with young children this summer and during the entire year. Parents are role models to demonstrate how to read, the enjoyment reading can provide, and the importance of reading and language to be literate.