LLA Foundation Supports Carson Reading Room

The Lycoming Law Association Foundation recently made a one thousand dollar grant for the purchase of law related books to be placed in the Andrew G. Curtin Middle School Library. The books were purchased and placed in an American Legal Studies Section in the Ben Carson Reading Room that has been installed in the library.

The middle school was the recipient of a $10,000.00 grant from the Carson Scholars Fund to create the Ben Carson Reading Room in the school library. Ben Carson Reading Rooms are designed to encourage young people to discover the joys of independent reading in a warm, inviting atmosphere, with rewards given for minutes read.

Dr. Carson, a distinguished physician and motivational speaker, attended a ribbon cutting ceremony on May 20,2009. The Reading Room is decorated with attractive, eye-catching artwork based on Dr. Carson's "THINK BIG" philosophy, is furnished with books, graphics, child-sized bean bag chairs and large multicolored pillows. The dedication ceremony was attended by a large crowd, including several members of the Association, Trustees of the Foundation and the Association's Outreach Committee.

The books included in the American Legal Studies section include specific books on landmark Supreme Court cases, important and high impact trials in American History, the "open for debate" series on various topics in the field of social policy, and other nonfiction and fiction works related to law and government.

A recent survey of the books in the Curtin School Library revealed that many of the books were outdated and that the collection in general was inadequate and in dire need of improvement. The books included in the Curtin Library American Legal Studies section not only provide the general benefits of reading, but specifically support the Social Studies curriculum including history, sociology, and civics and government.

All books purchased with the grant funds bear an inscription inside the cover with the following, wording: "This book is part of the Andrew G. Curtin Library's American Legal Studies section which was established in 2009 with a grant from the Lycoming Law Association Foundation."