Pasadena, TX – Today The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries announced that 158 school libraries are being awarded $851,524 in grants for 2009.  The schools receive grants of up to $6,000 to expand, update and diversify their library book collections.  Mrs. Bush joined the Foundation in making the announcement at Richey Elementary School in the Pasadena Independent School District.  Richey is receiving its second LBF grant; six other Pasadena ISD schools are also receiving grants.  The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries was founded in 2002 as a fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region. Since its inception, the Laura Bush Foundation has awarded more than $6.2 million to 1,245 schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In addition to these yearly grants, the Foundation has also awarded more than $4.7 million to school libraries in the Gulf Coast region to rebuild their library book collections that were lost or destroyed by hurricanes or storms.  The grant application process is administered by The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region with guidance from The Laura Bush Foundation’s Advisory Committee. The grants are funded through generous donations to the endowment from individuals, corporations and foundations.  The mission of the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries is to support the education of our nation’s children by providing funds to update, extend and diversify the book and print collections of America’s school libraries.  This is the first time that Rufino Mendoza has submitted and been awarded the grant.  Rufino Mendoza is also the sole school of the Fort Worth Independent School District to recieve the award for the 2009-2010 school year.  The money granted through the award will be utilized to update and expand the library's science and Spanish language collections, as well as purchasing periodicals for the students of Rufino Mendoza Elementary.