Friends of Art Circle Public Library selling new community cookbook to fund the purchase of books for school-age children in an effort to improve local literacy rates.
Chairman Sheila Fork said the cookbook features 147 recipes submitted by library supporters, ranging from traditional Southern dishes to international cuisine from Poland, Ireland, and Canada. The book also includes a history of the library and the Friends of the Library organization, alongside color photographs.
“It’s kind of nice to have this melting pot of recipes just like we have a melting pot of people,” Fork said. “The people come from everywhere and Crossville’s a wonderful place to live. And I hope this cookbook reflects on that, it was a joy for me to put it together.”
Fork said the initiative targets a specific need identified in census data showing that 40 percent of local high school graduates read at an eighth-grade level. The funds will allow the library to provide free books to students during the summer months when the library bookmobile visits sites where children receive free lunches.
“It’s going to be extra money, as I said, to buy books for school-aged children,” Fork said. “That’s our big goal.”
Fork said the organization produced 500 copies of the ring-bound book through a professional publisher. Fork said the project was funded by selling advertisements to local businesses to cover the $3,000 printing cost.
“We want to get books into the hands of kids to inspire them to read and possibly improve their scores,” Fork said. “Who knows, if you enjoy reading then one of the things is having a book to read. And if you read that and you like it, you’re going to want to read another one.”
Fork said the library director and historian contributed imagery for the book, which features a cover photo of the 3,400-square-foot building. The publication also received financial support from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 38.
“I love the fact that we have the history of library and the history of the friends right there in this little book,” Fork said.
The cookbooks are available for $10 at several local locations, including Common Grounds, the Chamber of Commerce, the Depot, Kim’s Beauty Salon Number 24, and Ann’s Pet Groomers. Fork said the bookmobile will also distribute free books to children during the upcoming Boo on Main event.