Little Free Library offers socially distant way for kids to check out books

A Bronx teacher at P.S. 83 is giving her students a chance to check out books without ever having to step foot inside a school or library.

News 12 Staff

Aug 19, 2020, 1:28 AM

Updated 1,519 days ago

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A Bronx teacher at P.S. 83 is giving her students a chance to check out books without ever having to step foot inside a school or library.
Roseanna Ayala first stocked the shelves back at the end of June when remote learning kept her 4th graders -- like Ali Saeed -- from participating in the class's annual book swap.
"Now that we are living during COVID-19, a lot of inequities have come to light, and the lack of access to books is one of them," said Ayala.
"Libraries are closed so kids can't borrow books, so I think this is a great option. And not just books, they have other things like puzzles," Saeed said.
The concept is simple: readers help themselves to whatever interests them, and can either return what they borrowed or replace it with their own donation.
"Every time I try to replenish, I try to make sure the books are sanitized," Ayala said. "Having books that are updated, colorful, vibrant, diverse -- books that kids can identify with. I'm trying to bring that to the Bronx so that kids can explore reading in a more fun way."
The Morris Park teacher is working to bring 10 of the grab-and-go bookcases to the Bronx, filled with the hundreds of donations she's received from as far away as Florida.