On Give NOLA Day, Friends will fill Over 200 Little Free Libraries in New Orleans with BOOKS!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dixon Stetler

Executive Director

The Friends of the New Orleans Public Library

jdixonstetler@gmail.com
Follow Stetler’s journey on GiveNOLA Day:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewOrleansReads/
Twitter: @FriendsNOLA
Instagram: Friends_NOPL

Event:   Friends will fill Over 200 Little Free Libraries in New Orleans with FREE BOOKS!
Date:     Tuesday May 2
Time:    Midnight-Midnight
Location: Greater New Orleans

Cost: Free
New Orleans, LA | April 19, 2017
Friends of the New Orleans Public Library announces its participation in GiveNOLA Day 2017. Hosted by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, GiveNOLA Day is the community’s annual, 24-hour online charitable giving event to inspire people to give generously to nonprofit organizations that are making our region stronger, creating a vibrant community for all. FNOPL is proud to be a participating nonprofit.

Through Little Free Libraries (LFLs), millions of books are exchanged each year, profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.  New Orleans is proud to have over 200 LFLs in our city. In the spirit of giving for GiveNOLA Day, Dixon Stetler, Executive Director of FNOPL will ride around in a fantastically colorful NOPL Outreach Vehicle, visiting each of the LFLs, and filling them with plenty of books, CDs, and DVDs.  Stetler says “We see GiveNOLA Day as an opportunity to raise funds for the NOPL- but also as a way to give back to our city- in a very grass roots way- neighborhood by neighborhood- book by book.”

According to the U.S. Department of Education, up to 61% of low-income families do not have any books for their kids at home.  Little Free Libraries play an essential role by providing 24/7 access to free books that don’t need to be returned.  FNOPL Board President, LFL Steward, and Librarian, Courtney Kearney, is excited about the mass LFL filling for GiveNOLA Day. “Friends is inspired by all the Little Free Libraries in New Orleans. They spark a love of reading and build community.”

For a map and images of Little Free Libraries in New Orleans  http://www.friendsnola.org/nolfl/
If there is a LFL near you that isn’t on the map, please contact FNOPL to have the location added.

The New Orleans Public Library is a transformative force in our city.  Since 1957, the Friends of the New Orleans Public Library has been contributing generously and providing vital volunteer service to partially fill the gap where city funding ends. In 2017 they will provide over $50,000 to financially support NOPL programs, purchase supplies, award scholarships to librarians, and to provide grants directly to each of the 14 library branches.  In addition to providing much needed funding to the NOPL, Friends also gives away 100,000 books annually to local schools, shelters, hospitals and other community partnering organizations. For more information about FNOPL, please visit friendsnola.org