Last week, Marian Wright Edelman Public Library staff were like the Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol.
But instead of money, they were providing books to every kindergartener in the Marlboro County School District and at Marlboro Academy.
Officials wanted to do something to help with early literacy in the county.
MWE Library Director Bobbie Grooms wrote a grant for a Marlboro County Early Literacy Initiative.
The literacy project was supported by a grant from the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation housed at Central Carolina Community Foundation.
MWE officials used the funds to purchase enough books for all kindergarteners in the county.
“The purpose is to improve literacy throughout the county,” Groom said.
Each student was provided with an early literacy kit containing 50 books and other items from MWE.
Grooms said the goal is to allow kindergarteners the opportunity to work at home with their parents to become better readers.
Bennettsville Primary School has the highest number of kindergarteners in the county.
Principal Gail Redding said they were thankful to have the MWE Library in the community and to be such a good partner for the school.
“For our kindergarteners to get a bag of books to take home for their own personal library is just phenomenal,” she said. “We are extremely thankful and proud to have them as one of our partners.”