“Why is your luggage always so heavy?” my mom asks, struggling to lift the suitcase I have packed for our 3-day trip. She should know by now that it’s always the same answer — too many books. For a long time, I believed I was a bibliophile, someone who loves collecting and reading books. Then, I thought that I could be a lectiophile, someone who loves to read all types of print, including novels, magazines, playscripts, and even recipes. Although I may be both of those things, I now know that I am most accurately defined by abibliophobia, the fear of running out of reading materials, which is clearly in full force with my packing habits. And since I love paper reading materials, my suitcase is always filled to the brim with far too many books for one trip.
My abibliophobia crept in further during the COVID-19 pandemic as reading became a larger part of my life. Although I could not leave my house, my mind could travel anywhere through a great story. It was during this time that I began seeing news coverage about a lack of access to reading materials for many children across the country. While my bookshelf was brimming with my favorite titles and many unread adventures, thousands of kids in my community did not have even one book to read. I could not believe this disconnect and wanted to learn more about this issue.As found in a study conducted by Susan Neuman and Donna Celano, a child’s educational success is most directly attributed to the number of books at their home and being read to outside of school. According to NPR, a child being raised in a low-income family hears about 30 million less words than a child being raised in a middle or high-income family does by the time they are three years old. Furthermore, preschool students from low-income families have fewer home and language opportunities, leading them to lag behind in reading achievement in their school years and become more prone to cognitive and mental disorders. With 20% of children in Florida alone falling below the poverty line (ABC Action Rate), I knew it was time to start making a difference in my home state.
I began thinking about how the books sitting on my shelves could benefit other kids. This led me to hold my very first book drive at my school. The students, families, and faculty unexpectedly brought in over 3,000 children’s books, most of which were gently used and in great condition. We shared these books with The Guadalupe Center, an early childhood learning center in Immokalee, Florida. Those working at the Guadalupe Center were able to stock the Center’s library and felt that we had met an unfulfilled need, leading to the creation of BelieveNBooks nonprofit organization. Now, we are able to hold year-round book drives and continue to sort, pack, and distribute books to organizations working with the most vulnerable children in our community.
Many of our donors have said their books have been sitting unused for months or years without a second home. Realizing that these seemingly simple contributions have the potential to influence a child’s educational and future success has been eye-opening. At our book distribution events, I am often met with wide eyes and delighted giggles from preschool students when they approach a table of books and are told to select a few to take home. They chatter and squeal excitedly when they realize the books are now theirs to keep and often immediately start reading with friends. For many children, these books are the start of their home libraries. Seeing kids’ reactions is the most rewarding part of this experience. Their love of books is apparent even at 3 or 4 years old and reminds me of why we must keep expanding this initiative.
While the consequences of the literacy gap seem insurmountable, getting involved is all it takes to make a difference. Each and every book counts. Over the past 3 years, BelieveNBooks has grown beyond imagination. With the help of local college students, community organizations, and nonprofit experts who support our mission, we have opened 10 chapters of BelieveNBooks and donated 125,000 books to over 25,000 children. It is my hope that these efforts will instill a love of learning for the children we serve and improve their lives in every arena.