Representatives from Dollar General presented a $20,000 Beyond Words Grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to Perryville High School on Thursday, Oct. 30 to help the library recover from flood damage earlier this year.
Librarian Heather Baskin said she anticipates being able to purchase between 1,000 and 1,200 new books with the grant funding. Her focus is on replacing the most relevant and frequently requested titles.
District 32 officials are hopeful that an eventual insurance payout will enable the library to fully restock its collection.
“The average publication date of our damaged collection is 2006, and I found that a lot of our older books just weren’t being checked out,” Baskin said. “We are really just looking at this as an opportunity to revitalize.”
Some of the authors and series Baskin plans to add include Alan Gratz, who writes historical fiction; Jennifer Lynn Barnes, author of The Inheritance Games series; and Darcy Coates, who writes horror fiction.
In March 2024, a tornado swept through the region and caused damage to schools in the Perry County School District 32. The high school sustained significant structural damage: classrooms lost roofs, outdoor athletic facilities were battered by flying debris, and many students found themselves learning in temporary spaces while repairs were made. District officials say the cost of restoration will be in the tens of millions of dollars.
“I’m so excited that the library is getting new books!” said PHS sophomore Ziva Thurman. “After everything that happened with the storm, it’s amazing to know our shelves will be filled again.”
