Little free libraries: Where community comes together to increase childhood literacy

On a crisp fall day at East Clark Elementary School in South Collinwood, a small group of children wiggling with excitement held colorful signs in their hands that read, “I read to succeed.” A few minutes later, they helped unveil a brand-new Little Free Library that has been newly stocked with books for the community to read outside of the school’s entrance. 

A Little Free Library is a “take a book, share a book” free book exchange, according to the nonprofit organization Little Free Library. There are dozens of these libraries around Cleveland, but in recent years, some have fallen into disrepair. Recently, the Cleveland Public Library, along with several community partners, stepped up to restore 20 of these libraries around the city. 

Library officials hope this Little Free Library, along with others around Cleveland, will help inspire kids and adults in the community to read as part of Cleveland Public Library’s Cleveland Reads program. Cleveland Reads is a citywide reading challenge to inspire “the entire city to collectively read one million books and/or one million minutes in 2023.” Cleveland Public Library will announce the results of the reading challenge at an event on Saturday, Dec. 2. 

“One of the strategies is providing access to books and providing books to as many Clevelanders as possible so they can read and spark that interest,” Tana Kung Peckham, chief strategy officer for Cleveland Public Library, told The Land of why the library system got involved in helping to rejuvenate the Little Free Libraries around town. 

Felton Thomas, executive director and CEO of Cleveland Public Library, said at the unveiling of the Little Free Library in South Collinwood that they are one more way to increase access to books and reading for kids and families in the city. “The little free libraries are kind of an idea that speaks to the fact that you can have a library anywhere, whether it’s in front of a school or on the street or in front of someone’s house,” he said. “We love people coming into our public libraries, but we also know because of the timing and things of that nature, they sometimes don’t go, they don’t get access.”

A new look for the East Clark Elementary Little Free Library

The new Little Free Library at East Clark Elementary School replaces one that was damaged and vandalized over the summer. Watching her students’ excitement to have the little library back, Principal Alyssa Levy said, “I think this gives them the opportunity to choose a variety of different books. I see a lot of parents, during the summer they will bring their little ones here and grab a book. So we’re not just impacting our school, but the community as well.”

The project, which was funded by Cleveland Public Library and other sources, is a partnership between the library and the National Council of Jewish Women, which stocks and maintains the city’s Little Free Libraries. Also joining in the effort is the Ohio Carpenters Apprenticeship and Training Center, whose apprentices built the structure, and the Painters & Allied Trades District Council #6, which painted it. Other partners include Rhonda Crowder and Associates, Cleveland Metropolitan School District, and the Kids Book Bank. 

Aaron Gunderman of the carpenters’ union told The Land, “We incorporated it into one of the early classes where it’s hand and power tool safety. So, they put it together in class. It’s a good project for that class and it’s good to be able to give something back.” 

Barbara Yasik from the National Council of Jewish Women Cleveland Chapter, which has committed to maintaining them and keeping them stocked with books, said, “We come every three to four weeks and we love to see it when it’s empty, literacy is so important. To see a child read, I think, that is the key to their future success.”

East Clark teachers at the event said the Cleveland Reads program has helped inspire kids’ love of reading and learning, and the Little Free Library is helping that. Teacher, Ebony Donley, helped spearhead first getting the Little Free Library at East Elementary back in 2019. She has been teaching for 23 years and currently teaches fifth and sixth grade language arts and science.

“It’s great because a lot of them like reading, and …it removes some of the barriers,” she told The Land. “Kids don’t have books and so it just gives them access 24/7, 365 to have books because we keep this thing well stocked. We have seen an increase in them wanting to read, especially with the Cleveland Reads program. They love that and winning prizes, and so it all just works together to produce better readers.”

For more information on how to get involved or donate, contact the Cleveland chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women at (216) 378-2204 or online.