Library's B.E.N.D. program delivers

Thanks to the efforts of Administrative Librarian, Melody E. Coleman, a delivery of 143 books, 232 magazines, and over 50 personal care items was made by the West Chicago Public Library District (WCPLD) to the Illinois Youth Correction center (IYC) in Warrenville.

This delivery was made possible by a unique partnership Coleman developed between the WCPLD, IYC, and the DuPage African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.

The program, named B.E.N.D. (Books Enlighten, Nourish and Delight), provides quarterly delivery of books, magazines, and personal care items to the juvenile females incarcerated at IYC-Warrenville.

This Level 1 maximum juvenile female facility serves its population with multi-service needs, including GED and high school diploma academic services, an in-patient substance abuse treatment program, vocational programs, mental health services, medical services, clinical services, leisure time activities, parenting education, and family reunification programming.

The average age of the juvenile female population of the center is 16.3 years.

Working with their IYC contact, Eric Crockwell, the Library is providing quarterly deliveries of books and magazines of particular appeal to the young women held at IYC-Warrenville which no longer fit the Library's collection.

“This unique partnership is just one of the Library's many outreach initiatives developed to serve the needs of our surrounding community,” said Coleman, “and it is being supported by the Women's Missionary Society of DuPage AME Church.”