Among the many barriers to literacy is access, a problem the pandemic exacerbated as many school and public libraries became off-limits.
Making sure members of the community could find books to help kids get and stay on track with reading has been an initiative of the Cherokee County schools since October. For Chief Academic Officer Nicole Holmes and Jennifer Garland, the district’s literacy curriculum coordinator, it’s become a crusade.
“Jennifer is constantly looking for opportunities for literacy exposure, and we had discussions on how to improve literacy in Cherokee even before students grace our doors,” said Holmes. “How do we begin that process? How do we make sure there are books available in our community?”
The answer to both key questions was to create accessible, outdoor bookshelves on each school campus. Known as Little Free Libraries, the colorful receptacles have sprouted across the country as part of a national organization that promotes and shares literature across all ages. In Cherokee, Holmes and Garland geared their libraries to the youngest readers in kindergarten through fifth grade.
“So many neighborhoods are built around our schools, and we have families that walk by every day,” said Garland. “These books are the perfect way to draw them in.”
The project began by recruiting construction students at Cherokee and Etowah high schools who built eight of the 11 Little Libraries.
“We also partnered with the high school art departments, and they painted each box with its own personality,” said Garland. “We have Clifford in his big red doghouse, the Cat in the Hat and other stories painted on each.”
The project also drew support outside of the school system, said Garland.
“We wanted it to be a Cherokee County endeavor with lots of buy-in from our schools and community partners,” she said. “The Credit Union of Georgia gave money, and different organizations, partners and parents donated the books.”
The project put one Little Library outside each of the district’s 23 elementary schools. The boxes were stocked with an initial 30 titles that will be replenished as books are borrowed and shared.
“If they absolutely love a book, they can keep it, but we encourage them to read, enjoy and bring books back for somebody else,” said Holmes. “Our schools have been doing a good job checking to make sure books are available.”
Holmes and Garland are now looking to expand the project past the geography of the elementary schools.
“The plan is to have books in places we know families go into – pediatrician’s offices, laundromats, places where children would be,” said Holmes. “Our ultimate goal is to have books available all over the district.”
Information on Cherokee County schools is online at cherokeek12.net.
SEND US YOUR STORIES. Each week we look at programs, projects and successful endeavors at area schools, from pre-K to grad school. To suggest a story, contact H.M. Cauley at hm_cauley@yahoo.com or 770-744-3042.
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