As a children’s librarian I support programs like Reading Is Fundamental, as a volunteer, donor, and partner. We know that children, especially in low income families, need to own books that they will treasure.
The President’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2009 eliminates the Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, which is the RIF Book Distribution Program. Unless Congress reinstates funding for this program, RIF would be unable to distribute 16 million books annually to the nation’s youngest and most at-risk children. Please consider writing a letter or email to the President and your state senators and representative asking that funding for this program be reinstated. Visit the RIF site, http://www.rif.org/get-involved/advocate/what/, for more information and a link to contact your legislators in Washington.