Sikeston library awarded literacy grant

SIKESTON -- A state grant will bring the tellers of tall tales and small tales to the Sikeston Public Library.

The Library was recently awarded a "Spotlight on Literacy Grant" for $6,602 from the Missouri State Library and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant is in partnership with the Sikeston County Juvenile Office.

According to Ann Thompson, children's librarian, the funds will enable the local library to offer monthly book club meetings for participants, ages 10-17. The meetings will include guest speakers and book-themed activities, she said.

Also the grant allows for storytellers, who will present public programs.

Kicking off the public presentations will be Loretta Washington at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. Washington's presentation, "My Corner of the Porch," is stories from her childhood in the Missouri Bootheel.

Other storytellers include: Chris Sutton, who will present "Tales with a Twist," on Oct. 13; Karen Young, whose Jan. 19, 2016, program is titled, "From Dawn to Knight: Celtic Hero and King Arthur Tales," and Bobby Norfolk, who will present his Emmy Award winning "The Moral of the Story" on April 19, 2016. All programs begin at 6:30 p.m.

Thompson noted this is the third literacy grant that the library has received this year. The library has concluded the Racing to Read in partnership with the Ferguson Medical Group and the Scott County WIC Office and is currently implementing the Summer Reading Grant in partnership with the YMCA Summer Day Camp and the Lincoln University Enrichment Camp.