Founded by Albert K. Lane III and Dayna Larsen Lane in memory of Dayna’s mother to support Frederick County Public Library’s and The Friends of Calvert County Library’s early literacy programs.

Corinne Carter Larsen was born and raised in New Haven, Connecticut, and earned her degree in Early Childhood Education from Southern Connecticut State Teacher’s College (now Southern Connecticut University). Like many women of her generation, she stepped away from the classroom in the 1950s to marry and raise her four children, but her calling as an educator never left her. Over the course of her lifetime, Corinne served in countless schools as a teacher, substitute, and volunteer, continuing that work well into her seventies, when she could be found volunteering in her grandsons’ classrooms.

At the heart of Corinne’s life was a love of reading. She was rarely without a book in hand and made certain that same joy took root in those around her. Library cards were a household staple, and bedtime stories were never skipped. That love extended to her four children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, all of whom could count on receiving books at every birthday and holiday.

In the spirit Corinne embodied so naturally, this fund is dedicated to inspiring future generations of young readers to discover the wonder and possibility found in the pages of a good book. As President Barack Obama has said, “Reading is the gateway for children that makes all other learning possible.” Corinne believed that wholeheartedly and through this fund, her legacy will continue to open that gateway for many years to come.