Help instill a love of reading in La Crosse school students at this year’s “Give-a-Gift” event at the La Crosse Public Library on Nov. 8. For the second year, the Library is partnering with the School District of La Crosse and the La Crosse Public Education Foundation to provide books for elementary school classroom libraries, putting a variety of great books right at the fingertips of students.

Girls in a Northside Elementary classroom quickly dig into a book on Rosa Parks purchased as a result of the 2018 “Give-a-Gift” event.

Encourage your friends, neighbors, parents, PTO and school supporters to participate by attending the “Give-A-Gift” event on Friday, Nov.  8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 800 Main St. Hundreds of books will be available for attendees to donate in honor of someone special. Net proceeds from donations made for the classroom libraries will be used to purchase books.

Last year, donors generously supported these efforts and $10,000 went to buy books for 27 5th-grade classrooms. Each class received 56 books last year, serving 450 students. This year 4th-grade classrooms throughout the district will be the beneficiaries of the community partnership. Each year a different grade level will be featured until the need for classroom library books is met.

Since 2003, “Give-a-Gift” has been the Library’s signature fundraising event. For a few hours, the Library at 800 Main Street is turned into a festive wonderland with displays of pre-selected new books on a variety of subjects, for all ages. Donors browse the displays, select and purchase titles, and donate them to the library.

If you are unable to attend, you may send a donation by Nov. 8 to either the Public Library or the La Crosse Public Education Foundation.

Please note on your check that you are wanting to support the 4th-grade classroom libraries.

• Mail your check to: La Crosse Public Library, 800 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601.
• Or mail to: LPEF, PO Box 1811, La Crosse, WI 54602.

“The La Crosse Public Library is excited to once again be partnering with the La Crosse School District for the 2019 Give-A-Gift fundraiser,”  said Library Director Shanneon Grant. “This collaboration of public institutions further enhances our shared passion to enrich lives through literacy, and to foster excitement for learning in our school-age community and beyond.  We’re thrilled to join together in supporting the young readers of today and to help them continue growing as lifelong learners.”

Students at Northside Elementary dig into the box full of books purchased through “Give-a-Gift” in 2018.

Rob Tyvoll, supervisor of academic programs and staff development for the School District of La Crosse, says that “classroom libraries are so critical to supporting and enhancing our students’ love of reading.  Yet,  in an era of fiscal constraints, it is is often a challenge keeping a classroom  library up-to-date.” Said Tyvoll:  “A well-developed classroom library provides a range of titles and topics that allows students to access the high interest, academically relevant texts they can’t wait to read!  And there are few things more valuable in the educational process than instilling the love of reading in a child.  The fact that classroom libraries are easily accessible, cover a range of reading levels, and are specific to a classroom means that students can always be assured of having these books on hand.  They are a powerful resource toward advancing literacy in our young readers!”

“I wish every donor could have been with us last fall when we delivered the first set of books to students at Northside Elementary,” said David Stoeffler, executive director of LPEF. “You would have seen the wonder in their eyes as these new books were spread out before them, and as they each grabbed a book and retreated to a corner of the classroom to start reading and enjoying these wonderful gifts. Our thanks to the Library for this opportunity to partner with them and the district to bring new books directly into school classrooms.”