Students Take Big Pride in Little Libraries: Senator Backs Program to Install at Four Locations in River City

Local students are building skills that will benefit them in their future careers and at the same time, helping boost literacy in their local community by constructing “Little Libraries” that have been installed across the River City using funding secured by State Senator Patty Ritchie. 

The city Recreation Department has installed four “Little Libraries” that were built by students and members of FFA at Northwest Tech, part of St. Lawrence-Lewis BOCES. Senator Ritchie provided a special state budget grant to pay for the materials that students used to construct the boxes.

“The idea behind ‘Little Libraries’ is simple—take a book, leave a book—and along the way we’ll improve literacy by encouraging more people, young and old, to learn to love reading,” said Senator Ritchie.

“By bringing Northwest Tech students into the project, we’re also creating another opportunity to help them learn practical and vocational skills, like carpentry and design, that they can use in the real world, at home and, someday, on the job while at the same time helping them to grow in pride for their community,” Senator Ritchie said.

“Northwest Tech’s students are very proud of the role they played in building Ogdensburg’s Little Libraries,” said St. Lawrence Lewis BOCES Superintendent Thomas Burns.  “Our Natural Resources program and FFA students were excited to use their vocational skills to help build community literacy.” 

“The Ogdensburg Public Library thanks Senator Ritchie for helping us to establish a Little Free Library system across our community,” said Director Penny Kerfien. “We have already seen a great deal of excitement from school children, teachers and others.”

Senator Ritchie joined with students to unveil the first of the boxes, located at the Park Street Park, and donated three books to help fill it. Others are located at Montroy Park, Champlain Street and near the Lockwood Civic Center.

“These boxes are a great way to share books, and a great way to reach out to seniors, families and children who may find it inconvenient to get to the main library, but can still access a good book right in their own neighborhood,” Senator Ritchie said.

PHOTO EDITORS: Senator Ritchie is pictured with students unveiling the first “Little Library” in Ogdensburg’s Park Street Park. The libraries, built by the students using a special state grant secured by Ritchie, offer a way for city residents to find and share free books and are seen as a way to increase literacy.