Access Books, a local volunteer program, delivered more than 10,000 books to Anderson Elementary School in Compton, Calif., on Feb. 9. The school’s library was replenished with new and gently used books collected by the organization earlier this month. Alta Vista Elementary in Redondo Beach also donated some of the books.

It couldn’t have come at a better time for Anderson Elementary as the school recently had a significant part of its library collection destroyed in a fire last summer. Fifth-grade teacher Jacquie Hundley had spent seven years compiling the collection of 400 books for her students that burned in a garage fire in her Westlake apartment complex. She had taken the books home to store them during the summer months.

“We were all devastated by the fire, especially my students,” said Hundley. “I didn’t know how we were going to replace those books. It is so amazing what Access Books has done. Not only for my students, but now the whole school and community will benefit from their help.”

A new couch and a reading rug were also donated to the school’s library. Some volunteers for Access Books spent their Saturday stocking shelves with books coded by an Access Books librarian, while others designed and painted murals, creating an enjoyable reading environment for students.

Published in : Family, Education