Are you interested in reading African American-focused children’s and adult books for free? Then you need to know about Lena’s Library.
Lena Franklin, the CEO of Lena’s Library, started the organization in 2005 to promote African American literature in the community. When Franklin was younger, she wondered why books in her school didn’t feature people who looked like her. She then began to gather books that had black authors and illustrations and made a bookshelf in her school. Children were able to walk up to the shelf and take as many books as they liked.
As time progressed, Lena started an LLC and began to put books outside of her Hollis home, where children and adults were able to grab books for free. Today, Lena’s Library makes appearances at events and festivals all around Queens to promote reading.
Lena’s Library’s slogan is “Pick up the book to put down the phone!”