Cause Championed by Donors to The Library Foundation 
At the close of the 2013-2014 school year, The Library Foundation joined Lowman Hill Elementary School in honoring its graduating kindergarten class with a new initiative called IREAD. This initiative was supported by the Robert C. and Dorothy L. Harder Book Fund. For years, the Harder’s gave books to Lowman Hill students during the holidays, and Bob volunteered as a reader. He passed away April 12, 2014. Learn more about Bob Harder. Graduating kindergartners received a library card designed just for kids, a library cardholder, a book to keep and, of course, their graduation certificates. “We are celebrating a milestone in these children’s lives. They are at a point where they can read independently, and we encourage them to keep doing it by giving them a new book and their first library card,” said LeAnn Petrie, Topeka and Shawnee County Library Youth Services supervisor. With additional community support, the library hopes to expand this program to include other Topeka and Shawnee County schools in 2015. The goal is to put a library card in the hand of every kindergartner in Shawnee County.
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