Ill. grants of $1.4M go to 642 school districts

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Public school libraries are receiving $1.4 million in grants from Secretary of State Jesse White, who also serves as the state librarian.

White's office announced the grants Friday.

White says nearly 1.7 million students in 642 school districts will be affected by the grants, which were awarded based on a formula of .75 cents per student with a minimum gift of $735.

The School District Library Grant Program funds will pay for such things as library materials to support reading for academics and enjoyment; subscriptions to electronic resources and improved technology to support student research.

White, a former schoolteacher, says libraries are important to help children learn and prepare for the future. He says studies show pupils in schools with strong library programs perform better scholastically.

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