During my first and second attempts in 2019, my site was not chosen to receive an Impact Library so I started a small, indoor library cart, though it shut down in 2020 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Following my third attempt in August 2021, EDSI Regional Manager Meredith McCarthy, encouraged me to submit a Continuous Improvement Form and EDSI Project Consultant Stella- Marie McKittrick reached out to me to discuss turning the form into a reality. However, in late September 2021, I received an email from Shelby King, the Director of Programs for the Little Free Library organization that my site application was selected for the grant!
The Impact Library Grant includes a pre-made library, twenty books, and a charter sign that will allow me to register the library on the virtual Little Free Library World Map. Although winter weather postponed the installation of the library, I am aiming for an official launch in mid- April 2022. Following installation, the Impact Library will be located in between my office and the Charter School for safe and easy access.
Here’s what our Chief Servant Leader has to say about this impactful initiative:
“The Little Free Libraries have been a fantastic addition to our services for participants. We learned through the pandemic that we need to do even more to serve the whole person. The libraries allow us to distribute reading material for adults and children, connecting the entire family to the workforce journey. It is yet another intergenerational solution that is making a difference for the people we care so much about." –Kevin Schnieders, Chief Servant Leader