LLF Michigan Expands
GivingTuesday Project
Distributes Books to 28 Small Rural Libraries Across Michigan
Marquette, MI — As part of an expanded GivingTuesday initiative, the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan (LLF Michigan) has embraced the season of giving by distributing free books to 28 small rural libraries and school libraries across Michigan between late November and December 2025. Each participating library selected a title from three award-winning, youth-centered books, ensuring local relevance and maximum community impact. The project reaches 12 Michigan counties, six in the Upper Peninsula (Ontonagon, Baraga, Marquette, Alger, Chippewa, and Mackinac) and six in the Lower Peninsula (Emmet, Presque Isle, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, and Tuscola).
This year’s expanded effort builds on the success of LLF Michigan’s internationally recognized GivingTuesday literacy project, distributing books to small rural libraries throughout Michigan, and reflects the organization’s deep commitment to advancing equitable access to books, rural education, and community-centered literacy.
“Small rural libraries serve as lifelines for children and families in their communities,” said Nancy Seminoff, Board president and chair of Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan. “This GivingTuesday project is about more than books—it’s about opportunity, imagination, and ensuring that geography never determines a child’s access to stories that matter.”
Each library selected one of the following three books based on the needs and interests of their young readers:
- Dream by Barbara O’Connor — A heartfelt middle-grade novel about perseverance, hope, and self-discovery as a young girl navigates hardship and learns to believe in her own dreams despite difficult circumstances. Dream follows a small-town girl with big aspirations who discovers that anything is possible with your best friends and an adorable pup by your side.
- The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose Johnson — A tender coming-of-age story about friendship, grief, and creativity as a young girl finds light and purpose through art after the loss of her mother. The book features, Lucy, a spirited French-Ojibwe orphan, sent to the stormy waters of Lake Superior to live with a mysterious family of lighthouse-keepers—and, she hopes, to find the legendary necklace her father spent his life seeking.
- Josie Dances by Denise Lajimodiere — A culturally rich, empowering story rooted in Native identity, following a young Ojibwe girl who finds strength, heritage, and confidence through dance and community. Josie dreams of dancing at next summer’s powwow. But first she needs many
special things: a dress, a shawl, a cape, leggings, moccasins, and, perhaps most important of all, her spirit name.
“Each library thoughtfully selected the book that best matched the needs and interests of their young readers,” said Laura Lamp, Advisory Group member and project coordinator. “From stories of perseverance to cultural heritage and creativity, these titles reflect the real lived experiences of children—and we’re honored to help place them directly into the hands of young readers.”
Libraries and titles being distributed include:
- AuTrain-Onota Public School Library — Dream
- Bayliss Public Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Forsyth Township Public Library — Dream
- Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library — Dream
- Mackinac Island Public Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Mackinaw Area Public Library — Josie Dances
- Mancelona Township Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Mayville District Public Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Millington Arbela District Library — Dream
- Montmorency County Public Library – Atlanta & Hillman Branches (2 copies) — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Montmorency County Public Library – Lewiston Branch — Dream
- Munising School Public Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Negaunee Public Library — Josie Dances
- Ojibwa Community Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Ontonagon Township Library — Josie Dances
- Otsego County Library – Johannesburg Branch — Josie Dances
- Pellston Branch Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Powell Township School Library — Dream
- Presque Isle District Library – Grand Lake, Millersburg, Onaway, Posen and Rogers City (5 copies) — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Republic–Michigamme School Public Library — Josie Dances
- Richmond Township Library — Josie Dances
- Superior Central School Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
- Wells Township School Library — The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry
The Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan is dedicated to strengthening communities through lifelong literacy initiatives that support children, families, libraries, and educators across the state — especially in rural and underserved areas. For additional information, or to support literacy efforts, visit literacylegacyfund.org.
2024 GivingTuesday Project Receives International Attention
Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan donated new books to various small rural libraries throughout Upper and Lower Michigan as part of an extended GivingTuesday celebration. The 2024 book selected was Inspire the World: A Kid’s Journey to Making a Difference by author Sammie Vance, an eight-year-old girl who wanted to make a difference. Sammie involved her family and friends, school, and community in a special recycling project that led to the creation of “Buddy Benches” to help kids who felt lonely. The book and projects have inspired people around the world to demonstrate acts of generosity. This is LLF Michigan’s third year hosting this project. Laura Lamp, Advisory Group member, assisted with the identification and distribution of books to sites in Lower Michigan this year. The GivingTuesday organization featured the project as part of a special case study of unique projects held as part of this annual celebration which has received international attention as the project has been shared with organizations throughout the world (see below).
Twenty-five books were distributed to rural libraries in Alger, Antrim, Baraga, Chippewa, Delta, Kent, Mackinac, Marquette, Presque Isle, and Tuscola counties by various LLF Michigan leadership. Several of the libraries hosted special GivingTuesday projects* and a reel was created on the project. Libraries who received a book included:
- AuTrain-Onota Public Schools Library
- Bayliss Public Library
- Burt Township Library
- Forsyth Township Public Library*
- Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library*
- Kent District Libraries: Alto*, Caledonia Township, and Englehardt (Lowell)*
- Mackinac Island Public Library
- Mancelona Township Library
- Mayville District Public Library
- Millington-Arbela District Library
- Munising School Public Library
- Negaunee Public Library*
- Ojibwa Community Library*
- Powell Township School Library*
- Presque Isle District Libraries*: Grand Lake, Millersburg, Onaway, Posen, and Rogers City
- Republic Michigamme School Public Library
- Richmond Township Library*
- Superior Central School Library
- Wells Township School Library.
*Organizations hosting special GivingTuesday generosity projects.
Interested in inspiring generous acts in your community?
We encourage you to download the Toolkit above to use along with the book, Inspire the World: A Kid’s Journey to Making a Difference to invite others to participate in GivingTuesday and other projects throughout the year. Generosity is always in season! Whether you use the Toolkit to invite recycling efforts or a number of other generous acts, you can inspire others to make a difference. Click the image above to download the Toolkit.
During the implementation of its expanded GivingTuesday project, LLF Michigan was invited by the GivingTuesday organization to participate in a case study in 2025. The project focused on LLF Michigan efforts to support literacy initiatives through book donations to small rural libraries to encourage generosity among youth and adults. Provided below is a recap of the 2024 GivingTuesday project case study.
APPROACH
Building on its previous GivingTuesday book distribution efforts, LLF Michigan expanded its project by distributing copies of the book Inspire the World: A Kid’s Journey to Making a Difference, by young author and GivingTuesday Spark Leader Sammie Vance, to 25 small rural libraries across Upper and Lower Michigan. The book encourages generosity by sharing the author’s journey to create “Buddy Benches” from recycled materials to reduce loneliness among children. In addition to books, libraries received toolkits and were encouraged to invite youth and adult visitors to read, engage in generous acts, and share their efforts with the library.
RESULTS
In addition to providing 25 small rural libraries with new books, 12 libraries participated in special projects encouraging acts of generosity. Activities included the creation of woodland ornaments with hand-written greetings in Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) delivered to Tribal family services recipients; placemats, window clings and greeting cards for area senior centers and veterans; bookmarks for library patrons; and decorated lunch bags for food baskets for low-income children created by area youth. Other libraries invited participants to note their acts of generosity on project posters using toolkits.
KEY FINDINGS
- Rural outreach response is better in person.
Greater connection is created when you can meet face-to-face with rural library staff, which increases potential for participation and reinforces their commitment to the project. - Young people are excited to give back. Kids of all ages were excited to put effort into activities that would bring enjoyment and reduce loneliness for others.
- Giving one book does make a difference. One book at each libraries inspired multiple acts of generosity in small rural communities.
If you have any questions about this project, or the case study information, please contact llfmichigan@gmail.com.