Library's $7,000 Trillium grant invested in buying new children's materials

Oak Ridges - Markham MPP Dr. Helena Jaczek, King Township Library Board Chair Gordon Craig, Mayor Margaret Black and Councilor Jane Underhill were at the ceremony Friday where the Ontario Trillium Foundation gave a $7,000 grant to support the library children's programming and literacy materials. Photo by Jon Yaneff The King Township Public Library has a new wave of technology with children's literacy, thanks to a $7,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

All four branches of the library system (King City, Nobleton, Schomberg and Ansnorveldt) will be able to add to their children's programming and literacy materials.

The announcement came from Oak Ridges - Markham MPP Dr. Helena Jaczek at a ceremony at the King City branch Friday that was also attended by representatives of the Trillium Foundation, Mayor Margaret Black and members of the library board.

"This grant will be of great importance to the children and families who live in the community," said Jaczek. "I am very pleased that the Ontario Trillium Foundation has recognized efforts of the Township council and the library board to help expand the board's collections. It will ultimately benefit youth in their pursuit of knowledge and assist them in becoming life-long learners."

Since receiving the grant, the library board has been busy buying additional literacy materials for children across the four-branch system.

"We're able to have more programming tools, which includes story, picture and educational books and a lot more junior non-fiction videos, converting cassettes to CD book sets and updating VHS to DVDs," said Kelley England, manager of children and young adult services at the library.

Black and library board chair Gordon Craig thanked Jaczek and the Trillium Foundation for recognizing the importance of public libraries in the community with the generous grant.

"The pursuit of literacy at all levels of our society is one of our most precious community objectives," said Black, in a press release.

"We're really thankful for the province and Dr. Jaczek for the donation and grant," she added. "With the grant we are able to expand literacy to people in our society."