Lawton community project advocates childhood literacy

There’s a new solution to the Southwest Oklahoma book desert.

Leadership Lawton Fort Sill Class 33 unveiled little free libraries at four locations last week: the Owens Center, Patterson Center, H.C. King Center and 1116 SW A Avenue.

Little free libraries are small to medium wooden boxes with shelves to put books in. Anyone can put as many books as can fit into the libraries and can take as many home as they like. Anyone interested in starting their own library can go to their website. Once they have their library set up, they can decorate it any way they want.

Leadership Lawton Fort Sill is a program teaching adults and teens how to hone their leadership skills to make a positive impact in their community, according to the website. Topics include how to serve on boards, how to facilitate community service projects and how to address issues in city and state governments. After their studies, they work on a final project that greatly impacts the community.

Taylor Bartlett, Leadership Lawton Fort Sill class member, said they partnered with Success by 6 to build the free libraries so anyone can pick up and/or leave a book for the next person. Success by 6 is an educational initiative by United Way that helps children from birth to 6 years old focus on school readiness through literacy, according to the website.

“Literacy is something that Lawton, or every community, really needs,” Bartlett said. “Giving kids a chance to get free books is a fantastic opportunity. Everyone needs more access to literature.”

Bartlett said they started planning the project in January, but started putting the boxes together in June.

“With the help from Phil Kennedy of Comanche Lumber, and the team over at the Great Plains Technology Center, they helped us get the boxes ready so we can construct,” Bartlett said.

Roxanne Wiseman, director of Success By 6, said their books are purchased through grants and by individuals donating to the community.