A new tool for literacy has just arrived in Lake Elsinore. The Rotary Club of Lake Elsinore has just installed its first Lending Library at the Lake Elsinore Chamber of Commerce at 132 W. Graham in Lake Elsinore. A world-wide program, more than 16,000 lending libraries are available in countries worldwide.
Not everyone has easy access to the public libraries, particularly which the closure of some smaller libraries. The lending library project provides ready access to books within walking distance. The “take a book, leave a book” approach supports education and literacy on a community level. The project was started by Rotarian Toss Bol in 2009 in Wisconsin and it has spread worldwide. The libraries are designed, constructed and installed by Rotarians and friends of Rotarians who donate their time and tools.
“The vision of the libraries is to inspire reading,” explains Rachel Borg, Rotarian and local teacher who saw the idea in a Rotarian magazine and challenged the club to participate. “Lots of our club members volunteered to build the libraries and look for book donations, it was exciting to see the enthusiasm.”
Club President Rick Morsch commented “Providing access to books for families in our community, especially children and encouraging them to read is just one of our literacy goals each year. We also donate dictionaries and thesaurus books to students at all of our schools.”
The Rotary Club of Lake Elsinore meets on Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the Ortega Conference Center at 520 Chaney St. in Lake Elsinore. An evening extension club meets at 6:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Pints and Quarts Restaurant in Lake Elsinore.
For information about Rotary programs, you can log onto www.lakeelsinorerotary.org or you can call 951-219-5352.
Photo: Rotary Club President Rick Morsch and Chamber President/CEO Kim Cousins.