One Tattered Book Leads to Early Literacy Resource Center

The idea for MAKE WAY FOR BOOKS started in 1997. Founder Dr. Mary Jan Bancroft had moved to Tucson from Reno, Nevada where she was a professor in the Department of Education at the University of Nevada, Reno. Through a desire to learn more about the needs of the Tucson community and how she might be able to contribute her time and expertise, Dr. Bancroft answered a listing to read to 4-year-olds at a preschool located just south of downtown.

“I quickly learned that this center did not have age-appropriate, quality picture books in their classrooms,” said Mary Jan. “What books they had were tattered and torn with many of them missing pages, and therefore missing part of the story!” In fact, she soon realized that most childcare centers in low-income areas of Tucson and southern Arizona did not have quality children’s books.

Believing every young child should have the chance to fall in love with books and reading, Mary Jan personally put a library in the center and conducted the very first early literacy workshop for the staff there. Shortly after, with the help of good friend Jennifer J. Stewart and supportive husband Paul Bancroft, Mary Jan formed MAKE WAY FOR BOOKS  as a 501(c)(3). That was nearly 14 years ago. Now, with the help of nine employees, hundreds of supporters and volunteers, and dozens of partner agencies, MWFB, the Early Literacy Center for Southern Arizona, provides evidence-based early literacy resources to more than 100 centers and home-care settings and thousands of children and families.