By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Maplesville High School library, which serves students from kindergarten to 12th grade, will be expanding its selection, thanks to a grant for $1,000 from the Chilton Education Foundation.

“Kids are always requesting books, and so they know to come to me,” Librarian Kathy Hand said.

The librarian keeps a running list in a virtual cart waiting for funds to be able to check out and order the books.

The funds will add fiction and non-fiction titles to the collection.

“My goal is to get kids reading what they are interested in,” Hand said. “If they know that they can come to me with a request, and I will purchase that book when I get the money, then they are more likely to pick up that book and read.”

Requests are on a variety of topics, everything from dolphins to wrestling.

She plans to combine the grant with some money from fundraising in the hopes of purchasing 100 books.

Hand had applied to the Chilton Education Foundation for a Partners Enhancing Education in Chilton County grant in the past. However, this is the first year that she has been selected as a recipient.