At the 2019 Books to Treasure event featuring illustrator Shadra Strickland, we set up a photo station where children (and interested children's librarians!) could have their picture taken to match the illustration on this year's library card featuring art from Please, Louise (written by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison and illustrated by Shadra Strickland). I could not resist this photo opportunity and John Fancher from TCCL's Public Relations Office captured this photo.
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Books to Treasure (BTT) is a special TCCL program just for 2nd graders in Tulsa County. Through this program sponsored by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, every year a special illustrator and one of their books is chosen. Then, every 2nd grader in Tulsa County receives a copy of the chosen book, can apply for a special library card featuring artwork from that book, and has the opportunity to see the illustrator at a special event at Hardesty Regional Library.
All youth staff at TCCL are involved in this endeavor by contacting school media specialists, visiting schools to give presentations, creating library cards, and delivering books and library cards to students. I have personally also had the privilege of participating in the special author event in 2016, 2017, and 2018. In 2018, I also wrote a lesson plan based on poetry from a book featuring chosen illustrator Shadra Strickland's art. This lesson plan was made available on TCCL's Books to Treasure website for teachers to use in the classroom. One reason the Books to Treasure program is special to me is because of its sponsor, the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation (AHZF). When I was in high school in 2005-2006, I was selected to receive a scholarship from the AHZF for my freshman year of college at John Brown University. I even had the delight of meeting Mr. Henry Zarrow once at a luncheon for scholarship recipients in 2006. They graciously increased my scholarship for the next two years, eventually funding a significant portion of my college degree.
I remain incredibly thankful for the generosity of that scholarship and the AHZF. Their enthusiastic support of the Tulsa community, especially for programs like BTT, is inspiring. I'm thankful to have the opportunity to support their generosity by collaborating with other TCCL employees on this program. |