Verizon Employees Donate 439 Books to Idaho Libraries To Promote Power of Reading

HAYDEN, Idaho - In its continuing efforts to improve literacy in America, Verizon recently presented 439 new and gently used books to the Kootenai-Shoshone Area Libraries. Employees donated the books during the company's nationwide "Season's Readings" holiday campaign.

Representatives from the library system accepted the donation during a presentation at Verizon's National Markets Center (NMC) in Hayden. Employees from the NMC spearheaded the local Season's Readings drive, conducted between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31. Co-workers at Verizon's national DSL Center and Idaho operations office (both in Hayden) joined them.

"This donation expands our library not only in quantity but in variety," said Lee Starr, co-director of Kootenai-Shoshone Area Libraries. "It's especially significant to our children's collection because those books wear out much more quickly due to high use.

"It's quite unusual for us to get a donation like this from a local business," she added. "We are grateful to the Verizon employees. Their donation makes our dollars go further."

Kootenai-Shoshone Area Libraries (KSAL) provides access to information, materials and library services at branches in Hayden, Athol, Harrison, Pinehurst-Kingston, Spirit Lake and Rathdrum. KSAL also operates a bookmobile as part of its district-wide community outreach effort.

During the Season's Reading campaign, Verizon employees across the U.S. donated more than 64,000 books and pledged about 14,000 hours of reading time to children and adults.

Currently, Verizon is distributing books and proceeds collected from the national campaign to more than 400 organizations, including schools, libraries, literacy providers, boys and girls clubs and other groups near Verizon work locations.

Season's Readings is part of Verizon's commitment to lead the effort to increase U.S. literacy levels. Through its signature Verizon Reads program and the Verizon Literacy Network, Verizon works to increase community and corporate awareness, raise funds, encourage collaboration among literacy providers and engage employees in supporting literacy programs. For more information on Verizon Reads, visit www.verizonreads.net.

Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with 132.1 million access line equivalents and 29.4 million wireless customers. Verizon is also the largest directory publisher in the world. A Fortune 10 company with more than $67 billion in annual revenues and approximately 247,000 employees, Verizon's global presence extends to more than 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.

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