Changing Children’s Lives
One Book At A Time

The Pilcrow Foundation’s mission is to provide new, quality, hardcover children’s books to rural public libraries across the United States.

The Pilcrow* Foundation was founded in 2013 to continue the work of The Libri Foundation.

We recognize the importance of public libraries in rural communities. Libraries are often the center of the community, where people come together to learn and share ideas. Providing quality children’s books to rural public libraries ensures an opportunity for active engagement within the community and lifelong learning.

We know that reading to and with children every day and providing them with frequent opportunities to read on their own are important activities for literacy development. Literacy is the greatest gift we can give to our children; the public library is where we can start.

The Pilcrow Foundation supports rural public library communities through our Children’s Book Project. We ask librarians, in partnership with the Friends of the Library or other local sponsors, to raise one third of the funds used to purchase the new books to build community investment in children’s literacy and the library’s future. The new books provided through the Children’s Book Project become part of the library’s permanent children’s book collection, thus ensuring children’s access to quality books for years to come. We also support libraries that have been impacted by a natural disaster. Our non-matching Disaster Relief Grants help librarians rebuild their children’s book collection. During our 2023 grant cycles we will be funding our new Oregon Book Project. This grant-supported program provides additional books to rural public libraries in Oregon that receive a Children’s Book Project Grant.

*Pilcrow: a symbol used to mark a new paragraph ¶

Learn more about out Children’s Book Project Grants →