Buntin Elected President of CSLP

Congratulations are in order for the Mississippi Library Commission's Senior Library Consultant Mac Buntin. He has been elected President of the Collaborative Summer Library Program and took office 1 June 2015. Buntin is the perfect person for the job. He says, "I believe in what we do. The Collaborative Summer Library Program promotes literacy. I believe in literacy for everyone." Buntin has been a state representative for the all-volunteer CSLP since 2006 and has also served as treasurer and vice-president. He's very proud of the organization, saying "CSLP provides a high quality, affordable summer library program annually." In fact, they're already working on the program for the summer of 2017!

The Collaborative Summer Library Program was started in 1987 in Minnesota. Now, twenty-two years later, all fifty states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories are participating members. (Four states are partial members.) Mississippi joined in 2006. Buntin's excitement and love for the program is contagious. The program keeps developing and CSLP tries to appeal to everyone. It targets four age groups: early literacy, children, teen, and adult, so don't think that just because you're not in grade school that you can't participate. Buntin adds, "It's not just 'read a book' anymore." He points to the different theme chosen every year, which has focused on science, art, and other areas, in conjunction with literacy.

We're all awfully proud of Mr. Buntin, librarian extraordinaire.