Our school has not had a fully functioning library in several years, and books have not been purchased in years. The average age of our collection is 43 years (1970). We have books in our collection that were copy-written in 1950.
I work in an alternative school where students are bused in from all over the county.
Many get on the bus at 5:30 AM and get off the bus well after 5 PM. Many of our students only have access to a library during school hours, and when they come in to the library, they want to check out books that are written about characters they can relate to... Our library now consists of books from the 1950's with very few written in this decade. Our students need to see people like them (African American, Latino, on the low end of the socio-economic scale) succeeding even if it is in a book.
My Project
With the small amount of money that I have been allotted for the school year, I have purchased books that my students can relate to. I have only been able to purchase the 1st and rarely the 2nd book in a series. My students have been asking for books 2, 3, etc. Books are on HOLD! They are excited about reading. I envision them being able to come into the library before and after-school as well as lunch breaks to sit on the comfortable furniture and select a book that they can be drawn into.
I often tell my students that as a young girl I wanted to travel the world, but I never knew a way that I would be able to realize that dream.
As an adult I have visited several different countries, but before I was ever able to visit those places, I traveled far and wide in a book. I want to be able to give that same experience to my students and it can start with just one book.
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