LYNN ― A literacy nonprofit filled a new, free library cubby with children’s books at Kiley Park Tuesday evening, kicking off a campaign to bring 250 Little Free Libraries to the city.
The Reading and Educational Assistance for Learning (REAL) Program, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve literacy in Lynn, partnered up with the Little Free Library nationwide program to install tiny wooden houses in various locations in the city to fill in the gaps between the city’s only public library and its school libraries.
“We just need to get children reading,” said Jan Plourde, founder and executive director of the REAL program. “The books can be in English, in Spanish, or Tamil. Literacy is literacy in any language.”
Currently, the REAL program has 56 such little libraries built and ready to be installed in parks and playgrounds. The program would like to increase that number to 250. Plourde said that four of the libraries will be installed at the Goldfish Pond.
Little libraries will primarily carry children’s books. They are all donated. The REAL program is looking to add more Spanish-language books, because they haven’t been in circulation much yet, said Plourde.
The REAL Program has volunteers who will be restocking the libraries with books. Plourde said that she restocks a little library on Atlantic Street in front of the REAL Program three times a week, putting in around 300 books per week in total.
Supporters of the program, REAL students, volunteers, city politicians, and girls from the Lynn English basketball team and Lynn Tech volleyball team gathered in Kiley Park to witness the ribbon cutting for the REAL Little Libraries campaign. Mayor Thomas M. McGee and mayoral candidate Jared Nicholson, along with his wife and son, who live in the neighborhood, attended the event.
“I have seen them before and I always wanted to use one,” said Abeline Calixte, 19, from Lynn Tech. “It is convenient for the kids whose parents can’t drive them to the library or can’t afford a library card.”
The Little Free Library in Kiley Park was installed at the corner of Burrill and Seymour avenues near the playground. The house is yellow with blue trim and drawings of butterflies and kids reading books are painted on the sides.
Plourde cut a white ribbon in front of the library with a big pair of red scissors that she held with both hands.
Jamal Mendouk, 9, helped hold the ribbon. Medouk participated in the REAL program and helped build and sand some of the library houses. He said that he finds reading interesting.
“I like just chapter books with no pictures because I can imagine stuff that’s happening in my head,” said Medouk.
The Little Free Libraries initiative is financed through grassroots donations. The REAL program is looking into arts and culture grants and for corporate sponsors.
People who want to have a Little Free Library in their neighborhood can contact the program at [email protected].
