Improving literacy and spreading a love of reading through new books is the goal of a new program in Athens with 30,000 books.
“They’re all brand new books,” said Katelyn Balli, a graduate student with the Stevens Literacy Center at Ohio University.
“We’re just trying to get brand new resources into the hands of people, especially the people in this community that we know cannot always afford brand new or have that as something nice in that way,” she continued. “That’s our big goal, to get the community excited about literacy and reading.”
The Stevens Literacy Center, known more formally as the Edward Stevens Center for the Study and Development of Literacy and Language, provides literacy programming to the community through GED classes, kids summer camps and literacy nights for kids among many other programs.
“There’s already things that the center is doing to be integrated but it’s still really small and as things go people automatically assume it’s only for student and It’s only benefiting the students,” Balli said. “We’re trying to get the word out it’s not just for that community. It’s for the whole community.”
In an effort to do even more for the community, director Julie Barnhart Francis applied for a grant through the Molina Foundation to provide free books to the people of Athens County and beyond.
Balli said the foundation works with publishers to acquire books that they then distribute to agencies and organizations across the country. They work with publishers including Simon & Schuster, Disney Publishing, Penguin Random House and others.
WHY DID SHE APPLY FOR THE GRANT
“This is about building those bridges and also having access to high quality literature for all ages, young people and adults,” said Barnhart Francis, director of the Stevens Literacy Center. “We can always access text online but to be able to hold a book in your hand is such a special gift for yourself and to share with others.”
Francis received notification in August that they had been awarded a grant. That grant brought a total of 30,000 books to Athens on numerous pallets now being stores at a warehouse in Nelsonville.
“When they arrived, we were like, ‘Great, do you have a list of what you gave us,’” Balli said. “And they’re like, ‘No just do your best.’”
The student volunteers with the center then spent the next three weeks sorting 30,000 books into age categories. They determined there is a large collection of adult fiction and nonfiction books, young and adult and some children’s books for ages third grade and up.
“Really our big focus right now is of all letting people know we have all these books and trying to get word out to community organizations,” Balli said.
“It’s mind blowing,” she continued. “We’ve already handed out about 2,000 of them and that’s just been to three or four organizations. That’s a lot of books and yet looking at the sheer magnitude of what we have it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, here we go.’”
Balli said they have already connected with several medical offices and hospitals about having books available for both inpatient and outpatient clinics. She has also reached out to all of the middle and high schools in the area.
About 800 books will be taken to the Athens Public Library next week that will then be distributed through the library system to smaller branch libraries in the area.
“We’ve been trying to contact schools, libraries, nonprofit organizations throughout the county and the area,” Balli said. “We don’t want to be stingy so this isn’t just for Athens County. If there are other places that hear about it, we would love to send some that way as well.”
In addition to taking to the obvious places, Balli said with 30,000 books, they have to be creative to get them into the hands of the people.
They recently partnered with an Italian restaurant in Athens that gives out free lunches on Tuesdays. Balli said they were able to set up a table and give away books that day.
In October, Balli said they went to Sobertober, an event with booths to provide services for people fighting addiction, in The Plains.
“We were able to go and we handed out almost 200 books,” Balli said. “These books aren’t necessarily about recovery but literacy is just as much about being an important skill. These are some of the literacy things we provide and take some free books with you or your kids.”
Then they gave out another 300 books at a free community meal event in conjunction with Halloween in Nelsonville.
Now Balli said they are looking for ways to connect with other events being help for the holidays over the next couples of months as ways to distribute even more books.
“That’s where it is so fun, putting all these books out because they’re beautiful and brand new,” Balli said. “It’s having people come up and asking, ‘Why are you here?’ And we say, ‘It’s free. Grab one. What are you interested in?’ And they’re so excited.”
Balli said she is looking for events and organizations to pair with to distribute the 24,000+ books still in their warehouse. Balli can be reached at [email protected].
