Mollie Donovan is this year’s Leila Christenbury Literacy Fund recipient (2027, Political Science (public policy and administration concentration) & English).

The Leila Christenbury Literacy Fund is an award that enables a VCU student to attend the American Library Association’s (ALA) annual conference. This summit is a huge gathering of librarians, authors and vendors. The conference features panels of recent library scholarship and a marketplace hub. The ALA is the largest organization in the field and has shaped the policy of libraries throughout their history.

This summer, the conference is taking place in Chicago, IL. The fund will pay for the whole trip—the student’s transportation, the conference itself and meals. Moreover, the student will get to attend the Newbury Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Book Awards Banquets, prestigious events recognizing the most impactful children’s and young adult literature of the year.

Mollie Donovan is a political science and English double major with an interest in libraries that started before their college career. In their hometown in Virginia Beach, they said, “I've spent a good portion of my middle and high school experience volunteering and job shadowing at my local library!”

Reflecting on her time volunteering in the library has impacted her choices. “Being around so many passionate people who wanted to help the community was really inspiring, and as I've progressed through school, I find myself looking back on my experiences often. I’ve realized that it's something that I want to do!” Now, as a political science and English major, she builds the skill set to address literacy and its real-world structures.

Now, Donovan can be found doing homework in the VCU Library. “There are a few places on campus that give me the same sense of productivity.” The collections have helped Donovan with several projects, most notably the Wonder Woman comics from the Comics Art Collection. They also like to check out books and movies from the Richmond Public Library in their free time.

Donovan chose VCU with a sense of exploration. “I wasn't sure what exactly I wanted to study, but I knew going to a bigger school would give me the freedom to explore a lot of different options. I also really liked that it was in the city. I love that there are always really cool events happening around Richmond.”

At the upcoming conference, she’s looking forward to learning about resources for libraries. “I’m really interested in trying to help promote literacy. I'm hoping while I'm there, I'll get to see new tools, resources and possibly strategies to help this," she said. “I'm hoping from this I'll gain a better understanding of how libraries cater and meet the needs of their community!”