logo
  • News
    • Northside Community Meetings
    • Community Calendar
    • Elected Officials
    • Features
    • Local Business
    • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
    • Public Safety
    • Sports
  • Arts + Culture
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • News
      • Northside Community Meetings
      • Community Calendar
      • Elected Officials
      • Features
      • Local Business
      • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
      • Public Safety
      • Sports
    • Arts + Culture
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Marketplace
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
Free library boxes throughout Northside help promote literacy
California-Kirkbride, Education
admin, on
July 27, 2015
Free library boxes throughout Northside help promote literacy

Photo by Erika Fleegle

 A free library box in the garden next to Northside Common Ministries in California-Kirkbride is on of several such boxes in the Northside.

By Erika Fleegle

In a “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” sort of way, the small box situated in the garden next to Northside Common Ministries in California-Kirkbride could be mistaken for a birdhouse. But upon closer inspection, the brightly-painted box houses books, not birds. This little free library, along with others cropping up around the city, is just one way locals are improving literacy in the community.

Debra Smallwood, the project’s pioneer, had been working with students from Brashear High School’s Be There Ambassadors, part of the United Way’s “Be There” campaign promoting academic excellence through great attendance. The students were looking for more ways to get involved in their community, but weren’t sure how. While walking through her neighborhood, Smallwood found an answer.

“After seeing a library box in the Mexican War Streets, I went to the construction tech teacher at Brashear and he took on the project of building the libraries in his classes and making it a student project,” she said.

Little free libraries like these are a growing trend in urban areas as the boxes are typically stocked with books of varying genres, which eager readers can take and leave to read at their leisure

Initially, 40 boxes were built, designed by students, and distributed throughout different neighborhoods. All box locations were chosen by businesses and community members who requested a box. Smallwood noted that she has been working with One Northside and the Buhl Foundation to put a box in every Northside neighborhood.

For Smallwood, the most rewarding part of the project, aside from improving literacy within Pittsburgh Public Schools, is the engagement between the students and the community.

“Having the students speak about the project and interact with community members and business owners is inspiring,” she noted. “I love to see the excitement that the students have.”

And it’s not just students who are excited about the little free libraries, community members, business owners and politicians have all showed interest in becoming involved with the project. During a kick-off event at the Mattress Factory, over 700 books were donated. Following that, word-of-mouth alone has brought those numbers up to well over 1,000.

Jay Poliziani, Director of Northside Common Ministries on Brighton Road, has been thrilled so far with the response to the little free library.

“I went into this thinking that no one would ever actually use the library, but that it had great value in providing a visible sign to our neighbors of our organization’s commitment to the community as well as our strong focus on education,” he said, “However, I was pleasantly surprised!”

Poliziani noted that within the first day on site, the library box attracted two readers who took books that interested them. The box is regularly refilled by contacts at the Carnegie Library in Central Northside and the North Hills Library.

Those interested in putting a little free library in their neighborhood should contact Debra Smallwood at [email protected].

Donate today to help support the Northside community newspaper's mission to provide hyperlocal coverage for our neighborhoods, neighbors, and their future.

Related Posts
Real Estate Transfers March 12 to March 18
News, Real Estate, Real estate transfers
Real Estate Transfers March 12 to March 18
Allegheny City Central Martha Hyman to JMT Investments LLC at 1327 Reddour St. for $105,000. PinRe Holdings L.P. to TMSAZ 1510 LLC at 1510 Monterey St...
March 21, 2023
Real Estate Transfers March 5 to March 11
Features, News, Real Estate, Real estate transfers
Real Estate Transfers March 5 to March 11
Allegheny City Central North Side Assoc. to Neuman Investing LLC at 215 Alpine Ave. for $195,000. East Deutschtown Quadvestors LLC to Richard Ryan II ...
March 20, 2023
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 26 to March 4
Features, News, Real Estate, Real estate transfers
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 26 to March 4
Allegheny City Central Coast Properties LLC to Thomas Weinlandt and Kendall Post at 1219 Veto St. for $368,600. Brighton Heights FOF Properties LLC to...
March 20, 2023
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 19 to Feb. 25
News, Real Estate, Real estate transfers
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 19 to Feb. 25
Allegheny City Central Mark Fleischer to James and Amie Sparks Ball at 1202 Sherman Ave. for $400,000. Edward Villella to Louis Kroeck and Sarah Chath...
March 20, 2023
The Northside Chronicle’s Summer Youth Guide 2023
Arts + Culture, Local Business
The Northside Chronicle’s Summer Youth Guide 2023
The Northside Chronicle's Summer Youth Guide 2023 features programming, organizations, and resources for families to provide a healthy summer full of ...
March 2, 2023
The Northside Chronicle launches new website design
Editor Picks, Features, Local Business, News
The Northside Chronicle launches new website design
Recent visitors to The Northside Chronicle’s website, thenorthsidechronicle.com, may have noticed a few changes to its layout. Well, maybe more than a...
February 8, 2023
e-Edition
Northside Neighborhoods
Northside Guides
FORMS + SUBMISSIONS
Events Letters to the Editor News Tips
POLL
MOST READ
New bill would make priority list for use of city sports facilities
Elected Officials, News...
New bill would make priority list for use of city sports facilities
March 22, 2023
District 1 News: Councilman Wilson Hello everyone, In this month’s column, I wanted to share some work that my office recently completed, in partnersh...
this is a test
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
Allegheny City Central, Business...
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
March 20, 2023
Most Northsiders are likely familiar with the phrase “Pizza! Pizza!” from the TV commercial promoting a national pizza chain. Yet (and to our benefit)...
this is a test
February poll results
Editor Picks, Features...
February poll results
March 18, 2023
February saw the launch of an exciting new feature on The Northside Chronicle’s website: polls! We asked our visitors to cast their votes on a variety...
this is a test
PREVIEW: Northside company launches program to promote robotics startups
Allegheny City Central, Business...
PREVIEW: Northside company launches program to promote robotics startups
March 17, 2023
Robots are perhaps one of the most common ideas people think about when they envision the future. And one Northside company is seeking to bring the fu...
this is a test
Ask An Attorney
Local Business, News...
Ask An Attorney
March 16, 2023
This month’s article will focus on insurance, namely car insurance. Car insurance is a necessary evil as it allows us to compensate others for injurie...
this is a test
Neighborhood Community Development Fund
Northside Leadership Conference
Donate

The Northside Chronicle

thenorthsidechronicle.com
Phone: (412) 321-3919
Email: [email protected]

About Us

Stay tuned with us

Copyright ©2022 Northside Chronicle. All rights reserved.