Every year around the second week of March, AmeriCorps celebrates its members’ commitment to serving their communities all over the United States with AmeriCorps Week. YBPCS’ State and National AmeriCorps members participated in AmeriCorps week through making a “little library” where DC community members can take free books from at any time. What is special about the YBPCS little library is that it combined YBPCS’ Transitions department, Construction department, and students’ efforts in coordinating and constructing the little library.
The little library project was planned in three stages: Building the two boxes (the upper one is for adult books and the lower one is for children’s books), putting said boxes on the wooden pole, and then painting/installation. Some experienced AmeriCorps students took the lead in completing these steps, like Dontre Tucker, who used his construction skills from what he has learned at YBPCS to properly assemble the little library boxes on the wooden pole.
There are many benefits to placing a little library outside of YBPCS’ campus. It promotes learning and literacy within among DC community members. It also shows that YBPCS is dedicated to engaging with the outer DC community and in reinforcing our students’ sense of ownership within the DC community as well.
Building and installing the little library was not the end of the project. Because of the continuous, generous donation made by the Library of Congress, YBPCS students are able to pick books to go into the little library that means something to them and that they want to share with the outer community. Students write personal notes in the books placed in the little library in order to make a stronger connection with the community member that picks up the book!
So, come by YBPCS’ campus and pick out a book day or night, rain or shine!
April 2019
Brittany North's Writing Portfolio 