FREE LIBRARIES EXPAND

MISSION MOMENT: SPRING 2024 LITTLE FREE LIBRARY READ IN COLOR EXPANSION

Por TEAM BCPS

Last fall, The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools, Inc., was selected to participate in the Little Free Library organization’s first ever Read in Color cohort. The ability to offer 10 Read in Color Little Free Libraries (LFLs), 10 boxes of diverse books, and $10,000+ more in diverse books to our community was an amazing catalyst for the expansion of the foundation’s “Books for Bins” literacy campaign. Little did the foundation know that this was just the beginning of a partnership that would rapidly expand the network of LFLs and diverse books in Baltimore County and our surrounding communities.

All books contain this Read in Color Little Free Library book plate.

Catonsville High School Little Free Library – Fall LFL Grant Recipient

No charter…no sweat thanks to our partnership with Little Free Library…thank you. This sharing box is located at Loch Raven Academy in Baltimore County Public Schools and proudly displays its charter number.

Working in Towson and need a book to read? Stop by the Jefferson Building on Chesapeake Avenue to make your book selection.

FOUNDATION TO FACILITATE PLANTING OF 35 LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES THIS SPRING

This spring, the Little Free Library organization offered the foundation the opportunity to apply for another 10 LFLs and boxes of diverse books. “We jumped at the chance,” said Deborah S. Phelps, the foundation’s executive director. “This partnership has allowed us to expand access to books in ‘book deserts,’ especially books that represent the beautiful and awe-inspiring diversity of our students, communities, and world.”

The foundation applied for the 10 expansion LFL packages and, when granted them, quickly opened the grant application for the Baltimore County Public Schools community. “We were overwhelmed by the response,” said Dr. Heather Wooldridge, the foundation’s associate director. “We received more than 30 applications.” Not wanting to disappoint anyone, Dr. Wooldridge reached out to the Little Free Library organization to request an additional 15 LFL expansion packages.

“Our team reviewed the request and were happy to grant the foundation an additional 15 Little Free Library expansion packages,” said Shelby King, Little Free Library’s director of programs. We continue to be extremely impressed with the work the foundation is doing and are eager to be able to provide you with some additional tools to keep up the momentum of the initial Read in Color activity.” These additional LFLs are being built in partnership with Mercedes-Benz and will be available by the end of April.

ANNOUNCING FIRST 25 RECIPIENTS OF THE FOUNDATION'S SPRING 2024 LITTLE FREE LIBRARY READ IN COLOR EXPANSION GRANT

BCPS Office of Copy and Print

Catonsville Center for Alternative Studies

Catonsville Elementary School

Charlesmont Elementary School

Dundalk Middle School

Honeygo Elementary School

Jacksonville Elementary School

Lansdowne Community Collaborative

Milbrook Elementary School

Orems Elementary School

Parkville High School

Pinewood Elementary School

Pot Spring Elementary School

Leah Rock

Rodgers Forge Elementary School

Alyssa Sooklal

Sparrows Point Middle/High School

Stemmers Run Middle School

The Inspiring Hope Gala Silent Auction

The Maryland Book Bank

Towson High School

Victory Villa Elementary School

Weber's Cider Mill Farm

West Towson Elementary School

Woodmoor Elementary School

Maryland’s Power Up with Reading Little Free Library will be planted at Chadwick Elementary School…One per state this one representing Maryland.

FOUNDATION TO RECEIVE CUSTOM DOG MAN LFL FOR MARYLAND

But wait! There’s more! The Little Free Library organization is partnering with Scholastic and Dog Man author, Dav Pilkey, to place custom libraries in all 50 states. The Education Foundation has been selected to receive the Dog Man LFL for Maryland.

Congratulations, Chadwick Elementary School! Chadwick will receive the Dog Man LFL, over 600 free copies of “Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder,” as well as a wide assortment of children’s titles from Scholastic’s “The Power of Story” collection, which highlights books featuring diverse characters and stories.

In a statement, Pilkey said, “When I was a kid, I have fond memories of going to the library where my mom would let me pick out whatever books I wanted to read. This is how I came to associate reading with love. I’m grateful to the many librarians, teachers, and the teams at Little Free Library and Scholastic. Their commitment and dedication to getting books into the hands of kids, especially those in underserved communities, is life changing. They are real-life superheroes.”

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE LITTLE FREE LIBRARY INITIATIVE

And then there are the seven custom Little Free Libraries (to be planted this spring) built by career and technical education students at Catonsville High School, under the direction of Jill Bartlett; Owings Mills High School, under the direction of Mike Bennett; and Sollers Point Technical High School, under the direction of Bill Lynch. The foundation partnered with these three schools to have LFLs built out of repurposed cabinets donated by a former BCPS educator and raw materials donated by Brawner Builders partner Dr. Sam Negahban.

“We are grateful for the donated materials and excited to have real-world, meaningful, and impactful projects for our students to work on,” said Bartlett.

Congratulations to the recipients of the CTE Made Little Free Libraries!

CTE Made Little Free Libraries built by Catonsville High School for

Featherbed Elementary School

Woodlawn Middle School

CTE Made Little Free Libraries built by Owings Mills High School for

the Exchangeree: Gizmos & Gadgets Galore | Windsor Mill

Owings Mills High School

CTE Made Little Free Libraries built by Sollers Point Technical High School for

The BCPS Greenwood Campus

Bear Creek Elementary School

the Exchangeree: Gizmos & Gadgets Galore | Rosedale/Golden Ring

Inside the Exchangeree: Gizmos & Gadgets Galore (Rosedale/Golden Ring), one will always find books in the “Barbie Doll” Dollhouse LFL book sharing box for selection.

With legs OR

Without legs, this Little Free Library has been donated by The Education Foundation in partnership with LFL as a silent auction item for the 2024 Inspiring Hope Gala. (In photo: Christie Compeau, foundation VP of Programs and Allocations)

This lovely dollhouse LFL book sharing box will be transported to the Exchangeree: Gizmos & Gadgets Galore | Windsor Mill

AND TWO MORE MAKE 35

The last two Little Free Libraries to be planted as part of The Foundation’s Spring 2024 Little Free Library Read in Color Expansion Program are indoor Little Free Libraries. They are made from repurposed dollhouses that have been placed on legs. The dollhouses were donated to the foundation by generous community members, and their charter number plaques and legs were donated to the foundation by the Little Free Library organization. The Barbie House Dollhouse will be planted indoors at the Exchangeree in Rosedale/Golden Ring on Wednesday, April 24, and the Modern Dollhouse will be planted indoors at the Exchangeree in Windsor Mill on Thursday, May 9.

We extend gratitude to Sandy Bauer, the co-volunteer coordinator at the Exchangeree: Gizmos & Gadgets Galore in Rosedale/Golden Ridge, RGR, and her husband, Jack Bauer, an engineer, for their assistance in transport and decor.

GET INVOLVED!

Official charter number plaques available: Do you, too, have a book-sharing box or other unique piece that you wish to turn into an official Little Free Library? Do you plan on constructing your own? Contact the foundation. The foundation has official charter number plaques to donate to your project. Email hwooldridge@bcps.org.

Sign the Read in Color pledge: Sign a pledge indicating your commitment to read and share diverse books. Visit the Little Free Library website for more information.

Apply for the foundation’s fall 2024 Little Free Library Read in Color Expansion Grant: The grant application window for the fall 2024 LFL Read in Color expansion grants will open July 1. Keep an eye on the foundation’s website for more information.

Conduct a book drive to support the foundation’s Books for Bins Campaign and the LFL RIC Initiative: Conduct a gently used/new book drive and donate to the foundation. All donated books will be available for all BCPS employees and LFL Read in Color stewards at no cost to them at the Exchangeree: Gizmos and Gadgets Galore centers. Contact the foundation for more information at 443.809.8962.

A FEW SPECIAL THANK YOUS!

The foundation would like to send a special thank you to the Baltimore County Public Schools Department of Operations. They are integral partners in the planning process for planting the LFLs on BCPS property.

The foundation would also like to send a special thank you to the Maryland Book Bank. They are integral partners in keeping all the LFLs stocked full of diverse books at no cost to the stewards.

More News from Timonium

• TIMONIUM HONORS FALLEN HEROES
• CHAMPS TU GO TO NATIONALS