One of the biggest challenges for low-income families with regard to literacy is the lack of access to books in the household.
61% of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children. That includes children and adult books! What we know is that the only measure that correlates significantly with reading scores is the number of books in the home. An analysis of a national dataset of nearly 100,000 United States school children found that access to printed materials—not poverty—is the “critical variable affecting reading acquisition.”
This is not just a home issue, but a neighborhood issue. One study found that in middle-income neighborhoods the ratio is 13 books per child; in low-income neighborhoods, that ratio is one book for every 300 children. [1]
Little Free Libraries play an essential role by providing 24/7 access to books (and encouraging a love of reading!) in areas where books are scarce.
Every Neighborhood Partnership (ENP) was started over 10 years ago. Inspired by The Well’s partnership with Susan B. Anthony Elementary, ENP had the goal of creating church-to-school partnerships for every elementary school in Fresno. Currently, we have 52 such partnerships. As we consider how the church of Fresno/Clovis can change a generation, we believe helping every kid learn to read is one of the best investments we can make.
Along with our Literacy Mentoring Program, Little Free Libraries are one of the many ways we are working to do this!
In this guide, we will lay out options for acquiring a library, stocking your library, and building community support. We will rely heavily on content from littlefreelibrary.org. Enjoy!
ENP Little Free Library Initiative
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