HR0082 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0082 LRB101 08850 ALS 53939 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Illinois Reads was introduced by the Illinois Reading Council in March 2013; this annual, statewide project promotes reading for all Illinois citizens and is the State's largest reading encouragement program; and

WHEREAS, Each year, Illinois Reads recommends six books in six different age categories, ranging from infant to adult, and written by authors with ties to Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Reads focuses on reading at home and in the classroom; the program also emphasizes summer reading as a way to not only bring the family closer together but to also combat what is known as "summer learning loss" in children; and

WHEREAS, As part of Illinois Reads, classrooms, public and school libraries, community groups, and community bookstores throughout the State will feature the titles of 36 books in the six separate age groupings; and

WHEREAS, Illinois Reads is sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support and leadership to all who promote and teach lifelong literacy; the program works with the Illinois State Library, and State Librarian Jesse White is the Honorary Chair; and

WHEREAS, The 2019 Illinois Reads Book Festival will take place on Saturday, March 16, at the Brookside Campus of Waukegan High School; the culmination is a statewide celebration of literacy during Secretary White's Family Reading Night in November; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the Illinois Reads program on its six years of success, and we support the goals of the program; we urge citizens throughout the State to become involved as Illinois Reads Ambassadors and to support efforts to promote literacy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Reading Council.