Inexpensive Book Distrbution Program Eliminated
Part of the growing program, “No Child Left Behind,” the Reading Is Fundamental’s ( RIF’s ) Inexpensive Book Distribution Program, has been eliminated in the fiscal budget of 2009. YubaNet.com reports that the program is very important and has been funded by Congress along with six Administrations without interruption since 1975.
“Since its founding in 1966, RIF’s programs have played an important role in improving literacy in this country. The U.S. Department of Education has shown that the number of books in a child’s home is a significant predictor of academic achievement. In addition, RIF programs also support academic achievement by involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers and other caring adults in encouraging children to read for fun.”
A Bookseller’s Tale reports that RIF will be unable to distribute 16 million books to the nation’s youngest and most at-risk children.
RIF will work hard with our Congressional champions to demonstrate the importance of reinstating RIF’s funding in this budget. The process will be long and involve significant time and energy. We will need active supporters like you with us every step of the way. We know with certainty your voice, as a constituent, is the most important resource we have to make sure Congress reinstates RIF’s funding.
According to BookBrowse, the program is looking for public support; “it encourages those concerned to contact their members of Congress via the RIF official website.”
Elsewhere in the budget, Bush proposed a funding hike for public libraries through the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)” but froze the budget for the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program at $19.1 million, the same level as 2008.
Photo: © Litandmore
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