CHARLEMONT — When one student at The Academy at Charlemont learned about the Liberation Library — an organization that gives books to incarcerated youths — she was eager to get involved.
“I love reading. I think it’s something that everyone should have and enjoy,” said Katje Gibb-Buursma, 11. “It is something to entertain you and keep your mind off of hard things.”
Gibb-Buursma said a teacher at school introduced her and the Honors Council to the Liberation Library during conversations about organizations with which the students could get involved. The concept of the Liberation Library’s mission wasn’t one Gibb-Buursma had even really thought about, she said.
“They believe access to books is a right, not a privilege,” the sixth-grader said. “I think that’s really powerful.”
According to the Chicago-based organization, incarcerated youths in Illinois are invited to fill out order forms, where they provide their top three book choices or general interests so the organization’s volunteers can get them that book or one that is similar. The books are theirs to keep.
Every book the organization sends to a young person in prison or jail includes a letter and a personalized bookmark.
So in late November, the Honors Council, a student group at The Academy at Charlemont, began to make announcements to the rest of the school about upcoming lunch meetings, during which the students would create homemade bookmarks to send to the Liberation Library.
From those meetings, they created about 15 bookmarks, she said. Others have been dropped off at the school.
“It was really fun,” Gibb-Buursma said.
According to the Jan. 3 school newsletter, anyone interested in contributing is asked to mail bookmarks to The Academy at Charlemont, 1359 Route 2, Charlemont, MA 01339, or drop them off at any time in the athletic shed.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne