the council's programs are statewide. they include literacy and reading and discussion initiatives for child care providers and preschoolers ("born to read"), adult new readers ("new books, new readers"), rural mainers and summer and year-round communities ("let's talk about it"), and health care professionals ("literature & medicine: humanities at the heart of health care", which was created by the council and has traveled to other states, becoming a national model). the council also offers a program for maine teachers that introduces new content and new topics ("teachers for a new century"). the council also offers letters about literature, a national program from the center for the book in the library of congress that encourages young people to write letters to their favorite authors, living or dead. in 2006, lacy craven, a maine participant in this program, was a national winner.