The simple act of reading a bed-time story to a child nurtures an interest in reading and learning for a child and improves a parent’s own appreciation of literature, Beverly Sanders, wife of SIUC Chancellor Sanders, said.

Sanders, spokesperson of a The Book In Every Home literacy campaign, said this month’s book drive is an effort to increase reading among parents and pre-school children of low-income families involved in the SIU Head Start and Child Development programs.

Sanders said the first step to develop a child’s interest in reading is to make books available in the home. She said the collected books will be given as gifts to children of low income families to provide them with a home learning environment. Sanders said organizers will make the drive an annual event if it is successful.

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Willie Epps, the director of Head Start at the East Saint Louis Center, said the Head Start program is a comprehensive child development pre-school program for children of low income families. He said the program encourages parents to be active in their child’s education.

Epps said the program also provides services for low income families, including, education, nutrition and health programs. He said the program also supports parents who are re-entering the work field or continuing their college education.

Sanders said faculty and students from all the SIU campuses, including SIUC, SIUE, SIU’s professional colleges, and the E. St. Louis Center, are being asked to donate books for the program.

Out of five campuses, we employ over 11,000 people, she said. We should be able to come up with the goal of 2,000 books and send them to every home.

Sanders said she has been actively involved with literacy programs and tutoring since 1987. She said the promotion of literacy is not only a personal goal for her, but also a national goal.

One of the six national goals of the Clinton administration is to have a literate society by the year 2000, she said.

If we could have books in the homes, adults and parents would be encouraged to become active participants in their child’s education, she said. Parents would learn to appreciate literature as they read to their children.

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Studies have shown children perform better academically when parents read to them, Epps said. He said children need to be reached at an early age.

It’s a positive outlook for the future if we reach the little ones early, Sanders said.

Sanders said all the books currently used by the children are owned by the University. She said the books left over from the drive will be used to begin a lending library program for the children. She said she wants to encourage children to read more at home.

Epps said the book drive will help Head Start program centers to hold a series of programs to enable parents to read more effectively to their children. He said the programs will encourage parents to become more active in their children’s education.

Sanders asks that pre-school age books be donated. She said the books should have large print with numerous illustrations and pictures.

On the SIUC campus, book donation containers are located at Morris Library, the Student Center, and the Chancellor’s office. The drive will continue from now until the week of Nov. 19. The books will be distributed to the families through the SIU preschool centers.