JOLIET – State Senator Rachel Ventura announced 12 school districts in the greater Joliet area have received more than $40,000 to provide resources to libraries through books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.

“Quality education is a fundamental right, and providing our students with high-quality educational resources and materials is a priority of our state,” said Ventura (D-Joliet). “These grants help ensure every student has access to the best resources to improve their academic career and become lifelong learners.”

Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student enrolled at each school with a qualified library. Funding for the School District Library Grant Program originates from the General Reserve Fund and is appropriated for this purpose by the Illinois General Assembly.

The following school districts in Ventura’s district received a total of $40,325:

• Minooka Community High School District 111 - $2,472
• Elwood Community Consolidated School District 203 - $850
• Joliet Public School District 86 - $8,121
• Joliet Township High School District 204- $5,993
• Laraway Community Consolidated School District 70C - $850
• Lockport School District 91 - $850
• Lockport Township High School District 205 - $3,382
• Taft School District 90 - $850
• Will County School District 92 - $1,133
• Rockdale Public School District 84 - $850
• Woodridge School District 68 - $2,278
• Valley View School District 365U - $12,694

The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, will support school library services for over 1 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state.

“Every student should have access to modern and up-to-date learning materials, regardless of their ZIP code,” Ventura said. “I look forward to seeing how these funds will be used in our area and the positive educational development it will bring to our students.”

For a full list of libraries that received funding, visit the Secretary of State’s website.