2 days ago
Cobb County shares results of 3rd annual ‘Books2Keep' summer reading program
For the third year in a row, the Cobb County Public Library and Cobb County School District are reporting a successful summer literacy project.
The 2025 Books2Keep summer literacy collaboration between the two organizations ended up collecting more than 35 boxes of books, which were donated to the Helen Poyer Cobb County Library Bookmobile.
The program uses the bookmobile to provide books to families across the county free of charge, officials said.
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The initiative is led by Allyson Eads, a community engagement librarian, and Kell High School Media Specialist John McLaughlin.
'Our goal is to help kids stay engaged with reading all summer long,' Eads said. 'The free books create a sense of ownership and pride in reading—and that's incredibly powerful. Every book we give away is labeled with a special Books2Keep sticker. It's a small touch that reminds families that literacy is a gift—one that's meant to be shared and passed on.'
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The bookmobile has been in use since 2018, 'designed and developed from scratch by the library's Community and User Engagement Division.'
Funding for the mobile library was provided by the Cobb Library Foundation and the unit is outfitted with 'an ADA lift, shelves, wrap graphics, carts, and more—turning a standard van into a full-fledged library on wheels."
In 2022, officials said the launch of the Books2Keep campaign started to collect gently used books from more affluent areas of Cobb County, then bring them to underserved communities, 'ensuring equitable access to reading materials and promoting literacy across the county.'
Books are collected during the school year by the Cobb County School District at their media centers, then the Bookmobile team takes the donations in to get ready for summer distribution.
'This program works because of our strong collaboration with CCSD,' Eads said. 'John has been an amazing partner, and together, we're putting books—and joy—into the hands of families all summer long.'
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