The Texas Book Festival Announces 2017 Library Grant Recipients

Organization Awards Largest Amount to Date, Ethel L. Whipple Memorial Library Among Recipients

AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Book Festival announced the winners of its 2016-17 Texas Library Grants at the Texas Library Association conference in San Antonio today. Forty-four public libraries across 35 Texas counties received grants totaling $100,450 – the largest amount the organization has awarded in its 21-year history of giving.

The TBF’s Texas Library Grants support collection enhancement to help public libraries meet the needs of their diverse communities. Out of the 44 public libraries awarded, 15 are first-time Texas Book Festival library grant recipients. The grants targeted a mix of needs across Texas’ libraries including grants specifically for children’s books, Spanish and bilingual books, large print books for seniors, and to create and enhance Young Adult sections.

“Public libraries are an invaluable resource throughout our state,” says Lois Kim, executive director of the Texas Book Festival. “We are proud to support the important work they do and help them continue to adapt to meet the needs of our communities.”

This year, TBF awarded the Ethel L. Whipple Memorial Library $2,500 along with 43 other libraries throughout the state.

Since the Texas Book Festival’s founding in 1995, part of its mission has been to promote Texas libraries and literacy. Each year, proceeds raised at the annual Festival through book sales and individual, corporate, and foundation sponsorships fund the Festival’s Texas Library Grants. Nearly $3 million has been awarded to more than 600 libraries across Texas.

Applications for the 2017-18 public library grant cycle will be available in November 2017. For more information, visit http://www.texasbookfestival.org/library-grants/.