November 8, 2019
AU GRES, MI – In partnership with the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District, Au Gres-Sims School District installed a free Little Library on campus in front of the Au Gres-Sims Elementary building. Within the scope and focus of continually strengthening a culture of reading for the greater Au Gres community, the free Little Library provides an opportunity for students or community members to have 24 hour literacy access to “take a book and share a book.” Funding for the free Little Library was provided in part by both the Arenac Community Fund and the Youth Advisory Fund at Bay Area Community Foundation.
For more information, an excerpt of the original News Release from Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District is copied below:
Contact:
Alexandria Hill, Early Literacy Coach
Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District
989-686-4410
hilla@baisd.net
BAY-ARENAC INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT PLANS LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES FOR LITTLE READERS
Bay City, MI – May 17, 2019 – Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District received $1,625.27 from the Youth Advisory Fund at Bay Area Community Foundation and another $810.90 from the Arenac Community Fund at Bay Area Community Foundation. These funds will support a project called ‘Little Free Libraries for Little Readers.’
With the project, the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District will be working with local school districts to place a Little Free Library in locations easily accessible to their students. These little outdoor libraries exist with the goals of increasing book access for all kids, no matter the time in the school year. Even when their own school library is closed, students and other community members will be able to stop by and “Take a book. Share a book.” Increasing book access is one of the most powerful ways that communities can impact reading achievement, and these libraries will offer a constantly rotating stock of books that are available to students and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Deb Kadish, Superintendent of the Bay-Arenac Intermediate School District, is excited about the project and the addition of Little Free Libraries to our school communities. “At the ISD, we hope to have a positive impact on each district we serve and support. This project is just one of the many ways we are doing that work,” she said.
The Bay Area Community Foundation awards grants twice a year to local nonprofits and 501(c)(3)s in Bay and Arenac Counties. The Foundation’s mission is to fulfill a wide array of donors’ charitable wishes by building permanent endowment funds and serving as a leader for community improvement through effective grantmaking and collaboration.
The libraries are scheduled to be up and running in front of one or more schools in each public school district in Bay and Arenac Counties by the end of summer. For more information about Little Free Libraries, visit www.littlefreelibrary.org.
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