Reading Advocates Revitalize L.A. Libraries

The Wonder of Reading, a nonprofit organization that promotes reading by renovating Southern California elementary school libraries, opened its latest refurbished library at the Tenth Street Elementary School in downtown Los Angeles August 30.

Christopher Forman, president of the Wonder of Reading board and the organization's founder, officially reopened the library, which has doubled in size and now features three new study stations, story steps for group reading, a quiet-reading alcove, and new paint, carpeting, and book shelves. Pauline Schiff, senior vice president of City National Bank, then presented Forman with a $5,000 check to help purchase about 250 new books for the library.

The six-month $40,000 renovation at Tenth Street is the 80th school library to be refurbished by the Wonder of Reading as part of its 3R Program: Renovate, Restock, Read. The organization will also help install a reading program in which volunteers from the community read one-on-one with students for one hour every week for an entire year. These kids, selected by their teachers, "may not be successful in a larger group" so they really benefit from the personal attention, says Beth Michelson, a spokesperson for the organization.

By year's end, the organization expects to have refurbished 89 school libraries, provided $890,000 worth of new books, and trained more than 2,000 reading volunteers. "We're now in the process of selecting schools for 2003," says Michelson. Schools interested in applying must assemble a library leadership team and raise $20,000 toward the project.

The Wonder of Reading focuses on the neediest schools in the L.A. area, but may expand its scope to reach more libraries and perhaps mentor other groups seeking to launch similar programs.