In the News

Jun. 01, 2015

Little Libraries Putting Books On The Streets Of Pittsburgh

This post originally appeared on Trib Live on June 1, 2015

By Bob Bauder

Amanda Singleton can find her summer reading material right next door, at one of the neighborhood libraries popping up around Pittsburgh as a result of support from nonprofits, volunteers and residents.

Repair the World: Pittsburgh, a Jewish organization similar to AmeriCorps, and Debra Smallwood, a United Way volunteer, collaborated to build and decorate 40 libraries yet to be installed.

Smallwood organized students in grades 9 through 12 at Brashear High School to build the boxes through a United Way program. Repair the World fellows helped decorate them and provided space for individuals to decorate.

They have a waiting list.Jim Griffin, director of the Pittsburgh Parks and Recreation Department, said he ordered 25, one for each of the city’s senior and recreation centers.

“People want them in front of their houses. People want them in front of their businesses,” said Zack Block, director of Repair the World.

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