Helping Hands to dedicate local installment of "itty bitty library"

Helping Hands is a student-run organization at Malone whose chief mission is to promote youth literacy and establish community outreach. Inspired by the national “itty bitty library” movement, members of Helping Hands built their own library unit using weatherproof materials to be installed between the properties of J. Babe Stearn Community Center and Canton City Schools’ Early College Academy, so local children can easily access the books during their commute to and from school.

“I am so proud of the students who have taken the lead on making this project a reality,” said Beth A. Clark-Thomas, Ph.D., professor of education at Malone. “They worked together to build the library unit so it will weather Ohio winters and they’ve collected more than 2,000 books to stock the unit with so that local students have access to free reading materials. This group of students feels very strongly that they have the ability, the opportunity, and the responsibility to make a difference, and I’m greatly encouraged by their drive to be change agents in our community.”

Local members of the community will gather at J. Babe Stearn Community Center on Wednesday, November 8 at 2:15 p.m. to load the unit with books and formally open the “itty bitty library” for business. This ceremony is open to the public.