Many young teachers want to offer students rich experiences with literature but lack the resources. The Old Books for New Teachers project will put good books into students’ hands by providing first-year teachers with the means to build a classroom library.

By building classroom libraries and sharing good books with their students, teachers would give students engaging literacy opportunities. Currently, many area schools have a sustained silent reading program, but students are uncertain of what books to select, and many skim through books hastily checked out of school libraries.

With high-interest and varied texts available in the classroom, students will have easy access to books as well as an instructor who could help them make informed reading choices. These classroom libraries could benefit hundreds—even thousands—of students over time.