CAIRO, Ill. -- The wait to see a doctor at Cairo's Community Health and Emergency Services clinic might seem a little shorter this fall.

Volunteers will be reading to children in the waiting room as part of a new literacy program.

The "Reach Out and Read" program has two parts. In addition to volunteers reading in the waiting room, doctors will be talking with parents about the importance of literacy. Children will also get books to take home.

Lynne Chambers, project director, explained that "Reach Out and Read" has been around since 1990, but the Cairo clinic has been selected as a pilot project for Southern Illinois.

Volunteers are being recruited. Reading is to begin in November.

"The goal is emergent literacy," Chambers explained. "We want to start in infancy encouraging children to be readers."

The program targets children 6 months to 5 years old. As doctors see the children for regular well-baby checkups, they will discuss the importance of early reading. Federal money provides new books that doctors will give to parents.

"They will give parents a prescription to read to their children," Chambers said.

Parents often listen carefully to instructions from doctors concerning their children's wellbeing, Chambers said. "We are using that power the health-care provider has with parents."

In addition, the program has a link with local adult literacy programs in case parents need help improving reading skills.

Through the program, children will develop a starter library of books. The health clinic is collecting books to give to older children at the clinic.

"We are very excited to be a pilot site," said Chambers.

Community Health and Emergency Services, Inc. is part of a federal program that establishes clinics in communities without adequate health-care services. In addition to the main office in Cairo, satellite clinics are operated in Olmsted, Tamms, Pulaski, Golconda and Roseclair.

The "Reach Out and Read" program will operate in the Cairo clinic the first year, but Chambers said they hope to expand to other areas.

The clinic has 22,000 registered patients. On any given day, doctors see 25 to 50 children.

In the waiting room, a reading center is being set up with books and a rocking chair. Volunteers can read to one child or to groups of children depending on what a volunteer feels comfortable doing.

Chambers asked that volunteers sign up for at least six months and read 1 1/2 hours a week.

For information about the program, how to volunteer and how to contribute books or money, call 618-734-4534.