Thanks to help from Rock Island Rotary Club, Little Free Libraries popped up at RIMSD #41 elementary schools around the district last week. Students were eager to take a peek at what was in the Little Free Library soon after they were installed.
"We hope that the Little Free Libraries will serve as a way for our community to connect to the school in a fun, positive way," said Superintendent Dr. Mike Oberhaus. "The rules are very simple: All you need to do is bring a book and exchange it with a book already in the box. It will be open 24 hours and we hope all ages will get use out of this new program."
Rock Island Rotarian Dan McNeil, who is Executive Director of Spring Forward Learning Center, hopes that it will help combat the "summer slide," and ensure that students have access to books throughout summer break.
The libraries were built in partnership with Rebuilding Together QC. Rock Island Rotary purchased the materials, and volunteers from Rebuilding Together QC built them.
The Rock Island-Milan School District's role as a steward of the Little Free Libraries adds to the global movement of the Little Free Library program, where there are more than 60,000 registered Little Free Libraries in over 80 countries. To learn more visit www.littlefreelibrary.org
Little Free Library at Frances Willard Elementary