19 December 2011

 

Eastern Victoria Region MP Edward O'Donohue has today announced that the Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation will receive $60,720 from the Premiers' Reading Challenge Book Fund.

"This funding will allow the Eastern Regional Libraries Corporation to continue to provide our young minds with a range of different literature to explore," Mr O'Donohue said.

"Reading is such a vital skill and the Premiers' Reading Challenge Book Fund helps children of all ages develop a love for books."

Minister for Local Government, Jeanette Powell, has written to library corporations and councils to advise them of their allocation in this round of funding.

"The Coalition Government is committed to improving educational opportunities for young Victorians and the Premiers' Reading Challenge Book Fund provides access to a fabulous reading list of more than 4000 items," Mrs Powell said.

"The Book Fund is an important component of Coalition Government's investment in encouraging Victoria's young people to read more widely on their journey to lifelong learning.

 

"Containing authors as diverse and important as Homer, Dickens and Pamela Allen the Book Fund's reading list is replete with titles to delight and challenge children of all ages," Mrs Powell said.

 

Premier Ted Baillieu has adopted a bi-partisan approach to the Book Fund and has enlisted the support of former Premiers John Cain, Joan Kirner, Jeff Kennett, Steve Bracks and John Brumby for this fantastic literacy initiative.

 

The $1 million from the Premiers' Reading Challenge Book Fund is in addition to the $33.5 million that has been allocated in recurrent grants to public libraries under the Public Libraries Funding Program in 2011-12.

 

"Victoria has a world class public library network and the Coalition Government is intent on improving the services libraries deliver and the buildings they operate in," Mrs Powell said.