Little Free Libraries
Little Free Libraries
Pop-Ups in the Park bring the joy of books and storytelling directly into the neighborhoods we serve.
Throughout the spring and summer, Our Kids Read transforms local parks into vibrant literacy celebrations where families gather to enjoy live storytelling, music, and free books. At each event, children are invited to explore a wide selection of stories and choose books to take home and keep—helping them begin or grow their own home libraries.
These events feature storytellers, musicians, and community volunteers who create an atmosphere of creativity, imagination, and excitement around reading. Each Pop-Up typically distributes up to 1,000 brand-new books, ensuring that hundreds of children leave with stories they can enjoy long after the event ends.
By meeting families where they are—in parks, playgrounds, and neighborhood gathering spaces—Pop-Ups in the Park make literacy accessible, joyful, and community-centered.
Because sometimes the best way to spark a lifelong love of reading begins with a story in the sunshine and a book to take home.
One "Pop-up in the Park" that we hold every year is the Thomas Jefferson Park event in Spanish Harlem/Manhattan. Here is a video of a past event:
The Goddard School – Laurel, Maryland
Our Kids Read partnered with The Goddard School in Laurel, Maryland to install a Little Free Library that encourages children and families to share books and foster a love of reading beyond the classroom. Stocked with diverse, high-quality children's books, the library serves as a free community resource where young readers can take a book, leave a book, and discover new stories throughout the year. This installation reflects our commitment to ensuring that books are accessible wherever children learn and play.
Rolling Terrace Elementary School – Takoma Park, Maryland
At Rolling Terrace Elementary School in Takoma Park, Maryland, Our Kids Read installed a Little Free Library to help students and neighborhood families enjoy free access to books outside of school hours. As part of our partnership with Little Free Library and the Read in Color initiative, the library features books that celebrate diverse voices, cultures, and experiences. By placing books directly within the community, we are helping students build home libraries and encouraging families to make reading a regular part of everyday life.
Woodhome Elementary/Middle School – Baltimore, Maryland
Our Kids Read proudly installed a Little Free Library at Woodhome Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Maryland, expanding access to free books for students and the surrounding community. The library is regularly replenished with engaging children's books that encourage independent reading and support literacy development beyond the school day. This installation is part of our broader effort to remove barriers to book access and inspire a lifelong love of reading among Baltimore's young readers.
Fort Worthington Elementary/Middle School – Baltimore, Maryland
The Little Free Library at Fort Worthington Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, Maryland serves as another important milestone in Our Kids Read's mission to bring books directly into underserved communities. Filled with diverse and age-appropriate children's literature, the library provides students and local families with free, year-round access to books. By creating opportunities for children to discover stories whenever they choose, this installation helps strengthen literacy, encourages family reading, and reinforces our belief that every child deserves access to books regardless of their circumstances.