Through a series of literacy initiatives, I want to promote the importance of reading and sharing stories with children early in life as a means of fostering family identity and as a means of preparing children to read.

Through these initiatives, I hope to rebuild a sense of community in Iowa focusing on Iowa's public and school libraries as community centers for lifelong learning. I also want to foster a working relationship between school librarians and public librarians who can promote libraries as forums for intergenerational sharing of personal stories, family stories and community stories.

In the planning process for these initiatives I hope to encourage non-traditional partnerships between librarians and other community leaders.

Christie Vilsack
First Lady of Iowa
Fall 1999