Patrons of the Cove Library have more books on the shelves to choose from thanks to a grant the library received this summer. The La Grande Community Library Foundation awarded the Cove Library a grant of nearly $1,500 in July for the purpose of buying books that were written by Oregon authors or are about or set in Oregon.

Cove is one of the five libraries in Union County that are able to submit applications to the foundation for funds to help with the supply or operation of the library.

“Applications for grants are due in the spring,” Marilyn Herbst, chair of the foundation, said. “In the application they list (what) they want to use the grants for.”

The Cove Library stated in their grant application that they would like to add Oregon content and authors to their current collection.

“It was amazing to be able to focus on Oregon writers,” said Virginia Rager president of the Cove Library board, who wrote the grant request.

With the grant money, the Cove Library purchased books by local authors Fred Hill and George Venn, including Venn’s “Lichen Songs,” which has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. The library also purchased classic Oregon literature and books to fill gaps in the current collection.

“We were able to buy a set of the Oregon Literature Series,” Rager said. “Our book acquisition budget is usually around $500 for the entire year, and this set would have been much of a year’s budget.”

See complete story in Wednesday’s Observer