The Literacy Access Fund, a Chester-based nonprofit on a mission to make literacy a possibility for every child in every community, will award a $5,000 grant to the Darby Library in Darby Borough.

The Literacy Access Fund secures funding from corporate, foundation, and individual partners in order to provide financial support to underfunded public libraries through a competitive granting process. The goal of the organization is to help libraries provide equal access to quality resources for young learners, regardless of economic factors.

Darby Library is the oldest, continuously-operating library in the U.S., celebrating its 275th anniversary in 2018. This award will help fund the acquisition of state-of-the-art technology for young children and kickstart the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.

“This grant has enabled the Darby Library to purchase tablets containing educational games from AWE Learning and initiate the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Early Literacy Challenge,” said Susan Borders, Director of the Library. “The one computer we currently have from this company cannot handle the number of children wanting to use it. The rest of the grant will start the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program.

“It is designed to promote reading to newborns, infants, and toddlers and to encourage parent and child bonding through reading. This is accomplished by the library providing exciting reading materials and incentives toward success.”

Dr. Deborah B. Sorgi, President of the Literacy Access Fund, is pleased to support the library’s efforts to increase access to early literacy education.

“Ms. Borders’ short- and long-term literacy goals to increase library visits and circulation are commendable for the young learners of Darby Borough, and we are proud to partner with this effort,” she said. “We are continuing to identify and support deserving public libraries to help their littlest members read and succeed in school and life.”

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