Winners of Kansas Book Festival grants named

(TOPEKA, Kan.) — Libraries across the state learn which ones came out winners of the 2012 Kansas Book Festival grants Tuesday.

Kansas First Lady Mary Brownback announced the 16 libraries that will receive a portion of the $13,000 in grants. The libraries are located in Walton, Great Bend, Thayer, Bird City, Gypsum, Iola, Westmoreland, El Dorado, Baileyville, Towanda, St Francis, Holton, Sedgwick, Atchison, Argonia and Stafford.

The grants will fund a variety of projects in the libraries. Organizers say they have seen the popularity of movies stir new interest in reading.

"I have seen that "Harry Potter" and other series like that have really made the kids more interested and then they're more willing to read other books that maybe are in the same vein and then maybe you can kind of push them to try something different." said Donnis Miller-Shipley with the Walton 21st Century Rural Life Center.

The Kansas Book Festival will be September 15 at the Kansas Museum of History. It is a day-long, free event. To learn more, go to www.kansasbookfestival.com or click on the related links.