Link to September 25 Watertown Daily News article, "Watertown Elks distribute free dictionaries to third-grade classes".

Excerpt: The local Dictionary Project is being funded through a donation from the Watertown Elks Lodge. The idea for The Dictionary Project began in 1992 when Annie Plummer of Savannah, Ga., gave 50 dictionaries to children who attended a school close to her home. Each year she continued to give this gift, raising money to help give more and more books so that in her lifetime she raised enough money to buy 17,000 dictionaries for children in Savannah.

The reference librarian in me asked, "What dictionary has been selected for distribution?" I don't know for a fact that it's the reputable Merriam-Webster's title (shown above), but a picture of its cover appears on The Dictionary Project's website.

McMillan Library Celebrates 1st Anniversary of Coffee House

Link to September 26 Wisconsin Rapids Tribune column by Library Director Ron McCabe.

Plus highlights of fall programs.

$28 Million Overhaul Project for Peoria Public Library

Link to September 20 Peoria Star-Journal article, "Peoria library overhaul ready for next chapter".

Excerpt: So far the only shovels in the ground have been ceremonial, but the $28 million overhaul of the Peoria Public Library system is now officially beyond the preliminary design phase and headed soon for the construction phase. And if projected construction timelines hold, both the new $11 million north branch library and the $10 million redo of the Main Street library could open by spring 2011.