Local

Local book advocacy group aims to repurpose old/rejected books by using ‘Little Free Libraries’

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The group is called “Rebel Readers”, and they are providing options for local students to gain access to books that are more culturally diverse, some of which have been removed from local school libraries.

The organizers are 2 former educators, so they say it’s a labor of love to gather books that are donated by folks in the community, or by schools where the books have been banned from the shelves and to potentially reintroduce them to the community using “free small libraries” app.

The app shows you the closest mini library in your vicinity and gives an address to its location.. All you have to do is open the door, grab it, and be on your way.

The organizers, Katlin Johnston & Casey Raasio have received hundreds of donations of unwanted books from schools & donors in the community. Once they’ve vetted that the books are whole, they then use them to stock “little free libraries”, which are created by a national non-profit based in St. Paul Minnesota.

Action News Jax Reporter, Jimmy Marlow V spoke with the co-founders, and Katlin Johnston told him that when they are looking at the list of banned books there were a lot of books that are just about historical figures, she continued:

“That’s history that can’t be changed, things that actually happened. A lot of them are people of color, so those communities they don’t feel represented.”

Co-Founder Casey Raasio added:

“A lot of times we’ll look at the demographics in that area and think about what types of titles they may need to see.”

The little free libraries app shows in real time where you are in relation to the closest location. Once you arrive, you are free to pick up or drop off books. And you don’t have to return the books you borrow back to the exact location.

When Jimmy Marlow V asked about why reading from books versus tablets is so important, Casey Raasio replied:

“When you are reading a book, you can envision for yourself.. “what does this character look like, what does that smile they are describing look like”, whereas on a screen it’s already been decided for you. When you read these books and you decide how everything looks, that’s part of the magic of it; especially with young readers when their imaginations are so vivid, I think we should be fostering that curiosity.”

The co-founders say that as of now, the goal is to become a legit 501c3 non-profit, as they continue to spread their donations across the city, in hopes that students and families will take advantage.

To learn more about Rebel Readers, check out their Instagram page with the handle @rebelreadersflorida.

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