Bookcase project aims to decrease illiteracy
Fifty Conway children will receive their first and very own bookcase and starter library book set Sunday at the Faulkner County Library.
An effort of Bookcase for Every Child, the Conway Bookcase Project aims to decrease illiteracy.
Jim Davidson, founder, said it is his belief that illiteracy is not limited in impact to the individual, but to the entire community.
“I tell people that if you want to improve a place, the quickest thing to do is to improve the literacy rate,” he said. “The communities that are doing well, you find colleges in them. One reason Conway is doing so well is because of our institutions of higher education.”
The Conway Bookcase Committee selects 50 children in the federally funded Head Start preschool program and young residents in the Conway Housing Authority.
Davidson said the children who receive the personalized bookcases are around 4 years of age and typically come from a “disadvantaged” environment.
Davidson said that once recipients are selected, two to three construction committee members cut oak pieces for bookcases for 10 to 14 days.
“After the parts are cut out it takes another week for about eight craftsmen to glue them together,” Davidson said. “It takes about 6 and a half hours for each of the 50 bookcases.”
Bill Clements, Conway School Board of Education president, offered his woodworking shop to the committee this year.
“He is helping to build them and that shows the quality of leadership and the spirit that we have in Conway,” Davidson said. “Little things happen to make the project successful.”
Each child will receive a handcrafted oak bookcase bearing their name and a starter library, including 10 to 15 books placed by the Faulkner County Library.
Starter libraries are comprised of donated books and gifts from individuals, such as a children’s Bible storybook provided by Lynnette Collums of Bee Branch, and an animal encyclopedia from an anonymous donor.
Davidson said the animal encyclopedia is an autographed edition, signed by a Walt Disney illustrator.
Patsy Desaulniers, another community member, will provide a personalized bookmark for each child.
After the presentation, slated for 3 p.m. at the Faulkner County Library, located at 1900 Tyler St. in Conway, the total bookcases given will number 350.
According to Davidson, the Bookcase project has found other roots in Arkansas.
“We’re expanding and we’ve had a bookcase project in Wynne,” Davidson said. “They’ve already built 89 bookcases the first year, and 70 more will be presented here in the next few weeks. We have projects beginning in Mayflower, Greenbrier, El Dorado and Stuttgart.
“I have a vision that in the next decade, there will be thousands of projects taking place in communities all over the country.”
Davidson said those interested in startup can visit the group’s website at www.bookcaseforeverychild.com for instructions in implementation and successful execution of a project.
(Staff writer Courtney Spradlin can be reached by e-mail at courtney.spradlin@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
