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Wayne Latham Family Grants Funds for Children’s

Reference Book Collection at Cottonwood Public Library

 

Grant provides learning opportunities for the community’s children: World Book Encyclopedias, Student Discovery, Maps, Atlases, Places, People, Science, Solar Systems, Human Body Works, World Book Dictionary, Ecology, Flags, and Make It Work Collection—108 volumes in all!

 

Cottonwood, Ariz. —The Wayne Latham family of Riverfront Realty in Cottonwood donated funds for an exciting new children’s reference book collection for the Cottonwood Library. A full set of World Book Encyclopedias is available for the benefit of the community’s children. Besides the encyclopedias, a World Book Dictionary and a Make It Work collection, there are books about people, places, science, solar systems, human body works, ecology, flags, and additional volumes for student discovery—108 volumes in all.

 

The Latham family donated $1500 for the project and the Cottonwood Bookmarks provided matching funds of $1000. This project was administered by Cocopai Resource Conservation and Development, Inc.  

 

Cocopai RC&D library action team member Mayor Diane Joens, says, “The Wayne Latham family has again shown their charitable nature and care for the community by generously donating funds for another Cottonwood Library project. This project specifically benefits the children of the area.”

 

Cottonwood Library Youth Services Library Coordinator Deborah Kearns says children may locate the Latham collection on the homework help shelves in the youth section of the library. There is a sign stating “Wayne Latham Homework Help Collection,” according to Kearns. Mayor Joens says, “Deborah has been with the Library for more than 21 years and is a fantastic resource for our youth.”

 

Previously the Latham family granted $4500 for a two-year grant resource database project that benefited local non-profit organizations. In describing his family’s decision to provide the resources for this project, Latham said, “We wanted to contribute to the economic success of non-profits in Camp Verde, Clarkdale, Cornville, Cottonwood, Jerome, Sedona, Verde Village and the other local communities. After Cocopai RC&D initiated this project, they gave us the opportunity to fund it, and we jumped at the chance.” That project wrapped up in February, and the Latham Family was ready to initiate a new project for the library.

 

Latham, who has donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters and other children’s charities in the past, says his family is excited about the reference collection. “Anytime we can do something for the kids, we get excited. They’re our future, and my family considers it an honor to provide opportunities that increase children’s knowledge.”

 

“Cottonwood Library Director John O’Neill, his excellent staff and all the volunteers provide exceptional library service to our community’s residents,” Mayor Joens says. “The City Council and staff are looking forward to the completion of the 8000 foot library expansion project in early summer.”

 

Last year the Hennen American Public Library Report ranked the Cottonwood library as number one in Arizona among libraries of similar size.

 

Cocopai is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization associated with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service. It has completed more than 200 environmental and community development projects in Coconino and Yavapai counties during 35 years. A project list is available at www.cocopai.org, and the two Latham family library projects are also featured on the Web site.

List of Children's Reference Books:

World Book Encyclopedia, 22 volumes

Student Discovery Encyclopedia, 13 volumes

World book Solar System & Space Exploration Library, 10 volumes

World Book Biographical collections, 8 volumes

Human Body Works, 6 volumes

World Book Dictionary, 2 volumes

Student Discovery Science Encyclopedia, 13 volumes

World Book Ecology Series, 10 volumes

Encyclopedia of Flags, 12 volumes

Encyclopedia of People and Places, 6 volumes

Make it Work Collection, 4 volumes

World Book Atlases, 2 volumes

 

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