Reading can be more than a casual pastime. During early childhood, exposure to books is crucial in the development of vocabulary, self-expression, and imagination, providing tools for school preparedness and ongoing success. But for parents and caregivers with limited resources or difficult circumstances, childhood literacy can be a low priority.
Founded in 1748, the Charleston Library Society (CLS) has long served as a literary haven, hosting around 200 public events a year, ranging from book signings and discussion panels to author talks and children’s programming. “Something we’ve seen in our research on the greater Charleston area is that a lot of children don’t have access to books until going to school,” says Jenna Simpson, the director of engagement and outreach. “We want to open the door to the broader community and get books into homes.”
Enter the Book Drop, an initiative designed to increase access to books for children from birth to five years old by providing free reading material to underserved communities in the tri-county area. Gently used books are collected at designated locations, such as The Charleston Museum and The Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, before being sorted and distributed via bookmobile to “Little Free Libraries” across the Lowcountry, often strategically located in “literary deserts.” “Our main goal for the Little Free Libraries is to put them in places where communities are already in need, near resources such as food banks and pregnancy centers, where individuals are already going to get needs met,” explains Simpson.
The program kicked off last September during a fundraiser that gathered local authors, including Victoria Benton Frank, Brad Taylor, and Gervais Hagerty, as well as TV personality Jenna Bush Hager and actor Octavia Spencer, raising more than $80,000. Through monetary support and gifts from publishers, the Book Drop will provide new releases in addition to collected donations.
From August 5 to 7, CLS will host the inaugural “Up, Up, and Read” literary festival in the main reading room of the library, providing three days of free children’s programming. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., families can attend story times hosted by local children’s authors, then check out their work and other literature during a book fair hosted in partnership with neighboring Buxton Books. Low-income families can use complimentary “Book Drop Bucks” to make purchases during the event, which also includes a lemonade stand, treats from King of Pops, and craft sessions with local artists Nancy Perry and Clay Rice.
For West Ashley resident Jonathan Miller, who wrote The Adventures of Sammy the Wonder Dachshund and its sequels, the Book Drop program is a vital community resource, and one he’s happy to be part of. Beyond teaching reading comprehension skills during school visits across the country, Miller encourages online literacy and safety through his canine protagonist, who works as a “fact-checker for the Internet.” “The more I read about the Book Drop program, the more excited I got,” says Miller. “It brings books directly to kids whose parents—for work or other reasons—don’t have the option of getting to the library. I’ve seen how much of an impact early reading has had on my own kids, and I want all children to have a better chance at benefitting from books as well.”
Looking ahead, CLS aims to continue the festival annually. The program has planned partnerships with Books in Every Bag, a local nonprofit that mails books and resources to children from newborn to age five each month, as well as Kids on Point, which provides year-round programming including academic support and sports for Lowcountry students. The goal, Simpson confirms, is to create a network that provides ongoing, equitable access for those that need it most, fostering a love of reading for generations to come. “All children should enjoy the magic of reading, and the power of our community can make this happen together,” she says.
“Up, Up, and Read!’ was made possible by the generous Founding support of Shumaker and Title support of South Carolina Federal Credit Union, as well as additional funding from our friends at Boeing, PNC Bank, and BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina
