The Gilmer School System is promoting reading and literacy in the county with the installment of library kiosks in the coming weeks.
Similar to the Free Little Library located on Dalton State’s Campus in downtown Ellijay, the kiosks will give people the opportunity to take books to read, as well as leave ones they have previously read for others to enjoy.
Chief academic officer Lottie Mitchell and pre-K director Katrina Kingsley unveiled the project at Monday’s board of education work session.
“Part of our L4GA (Literacy for Learning, Living and Leading) Grant is to focus on our community partnerships, so we are really excited that in our last Birth-to-Five Literacy Committee meeting that we decided to get literacy out to our community in a different way,” Kingsley said.
“We looked at putting some free library kiosks around town where kids can go to get free books. They can borrow books, loan them or however they want to do it. So, they’ll have that chance to look at different books from around the county.”
With the plan in place, kiosks were needed, and Dennis Wilson’s construction class at Gilmer High School took on the project.
“Mr. Wilson was more than excited and willing to help us construct these kiosks for our little free libraries,” Kingsley said.
“The kids who made these were able to make eight kiosks, and we will be presenting them to the schools. Through their clubs and art departments, they will be able to paint them, and decorate them and they will be mounted on poles and put in some really large planters.”
The kiosks will be filled with dispositioned books from schools’ libraries to ensure they are stocked and ready. Each school will have the option of where to install their kiosk, which could remain on campus or be placed in the community.