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August News!
Join us Friday, September 19th, 5:30 pm at the Olympia Country & Golf Club, with other local leaders and literati to meet award-winning authors and enjoy food, drink, festivities, and all-around fun all in support of our mission. More information and tickets atBooks by the Bay 2025.
Hope you can join us and support our important literacy work!
~and the over 1,500 children we serve each week!
Best-selling, award winning authors Thor Hanson and Matt Kracht will be our featured Books by the Bay authors this year. Tickets on sale now for this event on Friday, September 19th, 5:30 at the Olympia Country & Golf Club. For more information about Books by the Bay, click here.
Author and biologist Thor Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and winner of the John Burroughs Medal. His many books include Close to Home, Buzz, Feathers, and the children’s favorite Star and the Maestro. Thor’s work has been translated into a dozen languages and earned many accolades, including the Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science and three Pacific Northwest Book Awards. He co-hosted the PBS Nature series American Spring Live, and has appeared on programs ranging from Fresh Air to Science Friday, and WIRED Currents. Hanson lives with his family on an island in the Pacific Northwest.
MATT KRACHT is a professional birding amateur, writer, and illustrator who enjoys creating books that celebrate the humor inherent in life's absurdities. He is the author of the bestselling The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of North America, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds of the Whole Stupid World, The Big Dumb Bird Journal, The Field Guide to Dumb Birds Sticker Book, and in an enthusiastic change of pace, OMFG BEES! Based in Tacoma, Washington, he enjoys gazing out the window at the beautiful waters of Puget Sound and making fun of birds.
Tasty Page-Turner Wheat on Tap at Mount Olympus Brewing - Tumwater Taps!
The very tasty Page-Turner Wheatis on tap at Mt. Olympus Brewing's Tumwater Taps and now at Mt. Olympus Brewing in Aberdeen, too. A percentage of the proceeds supports our efforts to get books into the hands and hearts of our region’s children, so stop by this lively spot whenever you can, enjoy a pint, and support our work!
Meet our Volunteers!
Meet our Little Free Libraries Volunteers
Little Free Libraries, one of our programs at South Sound Reading Foundation.A few years ago, NTPS & Kiwanis Club of North Thurston partnered together to complete a project to ensure that Little Free Libraries were available in all elementary and middle schools in NTPS.The Kiwanis Club purchased libraries for the schools that did not have a little library and though today the Kiwanis club is closed, the Little Free Library volunteers still each month are keeping the libraries filled.Thank you to this special group of volunteers.James Brown, Karen Schoessel, Tess Fox, Ariane Kurita, Deb Clemens, Colleen Minion.
Not pictured:Elke Bachzeerocah, Steve Dolan, Dick Rust
We'd L🧡VE Your Gently Used Books!
Are you looking to clear out your child's bookshelf to make room for the new? The Reading Foundation needs your gently used children's books, especially:
Looking to stock your classroom library?We've got you covered here atSSRF with books for all ages! If you are in need of books, please feel free to come to our Teacher Resource Day on the Second Saturday Every Month from 11am to 2pm.Any and all teachers, prospective teachers, or homeschooling parents are welcome to come to our office at 2830 Willamette Dr. NE, Suite A, Lacey, WA 98516.
NOTE: We will be offering Teacher Resource Day at the same time throughout the summer. If you are changing schools, grade level, etc., come visit us to get your classroom library started! If you need to clean out your classroom, please keep us in mind for children's book donations.📚
Readership Circle - Member Feature
Ruth Conn
Ruth Conn's journey is woven with threads of compassion, service, and a love for nurturing both minds and souls. Having transitioned from a distinguished career as a pediatrician at Seattle Children's Hospital, Ruth embarked on a new chapter in 2017 when she relocated to Olympia.
Ruth’s involvement with the South Sound Reading Foundation began in 2017 as a volunteer, a role she has embraced with dedication ever since. Ruth’s passion for storytelling led her to initiate story times for preschoolers, accompanied by her trusty ukulele. This engagement blossomed further when she joined the board in 2019.
With roots as an army nurse, a legacy inherited from her mother, she honed her skills in caregiving and leadership. During her final deployment in Hawaii, she transitioned into a nurse clinician role, culminating in a Master's in English. Her thirst for knowledge and service eventually led her to medical school, where she nurtured her passion for pediatric care.
Ruth has served as a member of the legislative committee of the WA chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and contributed her time and expertise to AMARA, a foster care and adoption organization in Seattle, and has given much time to shelter volunteer work.
Immersed in Olympia's vibrant arts and music scene - Ruth is an amazing guitar player and singer! - Ruth savors proximity to nature, often exploring the nearby forests, mountains, and trails. Her journey of self-expression extends to her participation in the University Unitarian Church choir in Seattle, and now in Treble Voices for Peace in Olympia.
Ruth Conn's life is a testament to the power of compassion, learning, and community engagement. We are so grateful for her support and dedication.
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