WEDU PBS Announces Donation of Multimedia Library Corners to Local Public Libraries

TAMPA, Fla. - May 20, 2016 - PRLog -- WEDU PBS announced today that the station will donate the first four multi-media library corners to area public libraries. The station plans to donate more than 16 multi-media library corners throughout its 16-county coverage area in West Central Florida.

New Port Richey Public Library, Safety Harbor Public Library, Lake Wales Public Library, and North Port Public Library were each notified on Friday they would be the first recipients of a WEDU PBS Phyllis L. Ensign Library Corner.

"This generous bequest is helping WEDU expand services on-air and in the community to the more than 5 million people we serve," said Susan Howarth, WEDU President and CEO. "WEDU placed Mrs. Ensign's gift into WEDU's Endowment, which is providing long-term support for WEDU's operating budget. Those funds are supporting projects that we believe will honor Mrs. Ensign's gift such as her love of reading to children at the local library. That means WEDU PBS Phyllis L. Ensign Library Corners will be inspiring and educating thousands of children throughout West Central Florida," said Howarth.

The library corners will include a bookshelf with a robust collection of PBS Kids books, DVDs, and CDs for the library's lending collection. The library corners will also include a reading rug, 2 electronic tablets loaded with PBS apps, a collection of 6 turnkey activity sessions with educational materials, take-home materials including a family resource guide, activity sheets, bookmarks, pencils, and more. WEDU will also provide the library staffs from each location a free training session on Florida PBS LearningMedia, PBS Read-Aloud Program, and PBS Kids Lab.

"WEDU has worked extensively with the public library systems to provide additional community outreach activities. Thanks to the generous bequest from Mrs. Ensign, we now have the opportunity to add a permanent platform of WEDU's multi-media PBS Kids Resources to the public libraries' collections. It's a powerful and exciting opportunity to help inspire a love of learning in children," said Gail Taylor, WEDU Director of Educational Services.

WEDU, in partnership with each library, will host community ribbon cutting celebrations complete with a PBS Kids character appearance, activities, book giveaways, and official opening of the library corners beginning this summer. To learn more about the WEDU PBS Phyllis L. Ensign Library Corners and WEDU's educational services, visit www.wedu.org/edconnect.