With the goal of encouraging students to develop a passion for reading and learning, The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Librariesprovides schools in need with grants to extend, update and diversify their book collections. Championed by Laura Bush since 2002, former First Lady of the United States and librarian, the foundation has awarded more than $12.5 million to almost 2,500 schools across the country.

As a result, Amy Marquez and Laura Quiroz-Torrez will be using the grant to update their school library collections and promote literacy at Marcia R. Garza Elementary in Alamo and Carmen Anaya Elementary located in Pharr.

“Although a large number of students at our campus are Spanish speakers, only 23 percent of our library book collection is in Spanish,” said Amy Marquez, who is the librarian at Garza Elementary. “With the help of the grant, my goal is to increase it from 32 to 150 pre-kinder to first grade level Spanish books.”

Read more here.