Rasco From RIF

Statesboro Regional Library RIF is a 57-site library based program in central Georgia. Every May as the end of the school year approaches, the Statesboro Regional Library hosts their entire RIF service population from every one of their 57 sites at the main county library.  It’s an annual community celebration and an ‘end of the school year’ book distribution rolled into one; the event is massive!  It is an all-day literacy fair; books are distributed to nearly 6,000 children.  It necessitates over a thousand ‘inter-generational’ volunteers and also serves as the ‘kick off’ for the library’s summer reading program.
   
Transportation for all the children and the volunteers is provided by bus – this is just one of the many fruits that RIF Coordinator Elaine McDuffie has gleaned from partnering with their county department of education.  The children, their parents, and even their grandparents join in the festivities as they come by the bus load to watch puppet shows, participate in craft activities and select books.  The most recent celebration was themed:  Be Creative At Your Library.  The series of activities was entirely arts and crafts themed and also happened to coincide with the 30-year anniversary of RIF at the Statesboro Regional Library.  Celebration of this 30th year as a RIF program included presenting their RIF mascot – the giant puppy dog “RIF-RIF” – with his very own birthday cake.