Bulloch County Literacy Council - Bulloch Read

Bulloch County Schools envisioned a place where all children could access age - appropriate books in an inviting, welcoming mobile location. Launched in May 2019, the Bulloch County Schools Book Bus makes stops throughout the county to provide free books to children. Without the support of the community, this would not be possible. Since the Bulloch Book Bus began making stops in our communities and neighborhoods, it has facilitated the distribution of more than 40,000 books to children.

The Bulloch County Literacy Council and Bulloch County Schools have further increased access to books for Bulloch County children. Seven newspaper boxes have been converted into sharing libraries for children and an extension of our Book Bus across the county. They will be placed at Luetta Moore Parks' Jones-Love Cultural Center, Boro Sno, Lanier's IGA in Portal, and El Maguey in Brooklet. Thank you to Whitfield Signs and the Statesboro Herald for their assistance with this project. Funding was made possible in part by a Community Transformation Grant from the Georgia Department of Education and donations from local sponsors.

The Bulloch County Literacy Council encourages the creation of reading nooks as part of its Bulloch READ initiative. A reading nook is a comfortable place where children can enjoy looking at or reading a book or having one read to them. It can be as simple as a corner of a room or a special chair with a basket of books. Reading nooks increase children's access to books and  early brain development. We encourage the creation of reading nooks in the community and at home.

Community Reading Nooks

Thanks to local business partners, we have now placed 46 reading nooks in our community which have made more than 10,000 books available to children for free. Children may pick out a book from any reading nook to take home and keep. Pick out a reading nook to visit today from our list.

List of Community Reading Nooks

Home Reading Nooks

Through our annual Reading Nook Photo Contest and the Literacy Luau, held during Read Across America Week, we have helped 56 families win the supplies to create reading nooks in their homes. Home nooks also encourage children's interest in books and reading and parents reading to their children.

Our Book Bus, community reading nooks, book drops, and literacy events also help increase the number of books children have access to at home. 

"According to the United States Department of Education, up to 61 percent of low-income families do not have any books for their kids at home. This impacts early language and literacy skills for preschool children and puts them at a significant disadvantage for learning to read on grade level by third grade."

The Bulloch County Literacy Council's annual Reading Nook Photo Contest is a fun way to engage families and the community in creating additional reading nooks in homes and local businesses. Reading nooks encourage reading and reading aloud to children, especially those ages birth to five-years-old.

Held each February, participants (parents, family members, teachers or caregivers) may enter the contest during the entry period:

1. Visit one of our community reading nooks or your own home reading nook
2. Upload a digital photo of yourself reading with a child, ages infant to five-years-old, in their favorite reading nook, to the online contest area of the Statesboro Herald's website during the contest period, which will be linked on this site. 

The community can vote online at the same website, and winning entries are featured inside the Statesboro Herald at the end of Read Across America week.

The contest is sponsored by the Statesboro Herald and Kids World Learning Center.

Our Early Literacy newsletter has tips for families and caregivers about how to help build early language and reading skills in children.

• Volume 1, Issue 1
• Volume 1, Issue 2
• Volume 1, Issue 3
• Volume 2, Issue 1
• Volume 2, Issue 2
• Volume 2, Issue 3
• Volume 2, Issue 4
• Volume 2; Issue 5
• Volume 2, Issue 6

Volunteer

• Volunteer to sort books, stock the Book Bus, or help at one of our literacy events, etc.
• Support the work of the Bulloch County Literacy Council and its partner organizations 
• Establish a reading nook in your business or host the Book Bus at your community event

Donate books

• Donate new or used books at the Bulloch County Board of Education located at 150 Williams Road, Statesboro, Georgia.
• Sign up to have your business become a book collections site.

Make a financial contribution

• Make a tax-deductible donation to the Bulloch County Literacy Council. Send checks to:

Bulloch County Literacy Council
c/o Bulloch County Schools
Attention: Crystal Simpkins
150 Williams Road
Statesboro, GA 30458

Contact Crystal Simpkins at 912.212.8892 for more details.

• Altrusa of Statesboro;
• Bulloch County Schools;
• Bulloch Solutions;
• Child Care Resource and Referral of Southeast Georgia;
• East Georgia Regional Medical Center (Mother/Baby Unit);
• Ferst Readers ;
• Georgia Power Company;
• Georgia Southern University College of Education;
• Kids World Learning Center;
• Rotary Club of Downtown Statesboro;
• Safe Haven Statesboro;
• Statesboro-Bulloch County Library;
• Statesboro Family YMCA;
• Village Builders (City of Statesboro)