Literacy Council

75,000 + books distributed

through our Book Bus, Lit-O-Matic Book Boxes, book drops, and our

Literacy Luau, Kids Reading Nook Photo Contest, and other literacy events.

Who We Are

The Bulloch County Literacy Council is a collaborative group of educators, representatives from literacy organizations, business and civic organization leaders, and community volunteers. Its purpose is to sustain a community collaborative that works to increase Kindergarten readiness for students from birth through Pre-Kindergarten and to support the improvement of literacy levels for all children in Kindergarten through fifth grade.

The Literacy Council's Bulloch READ initiative:

Reading: Encourage the creation of Reading nooks.
Environment: Encourage a literacy-rich Environment.
Access: Increase Access to books and reading resources.
Development: Increase early brain Development.

How We Are Creating a Literacy-Rich Environment in Bulloch County

Book Bus

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 Book Bus makes stops throughout the county to provide free books to children.

Interior of the Bulloch County Schools Book Bus

Since its first stop, the Book Bus has facilitated the distribution of more than 50,000 books to children.

Children selecting books from inside the Book Bus

Sharing Libraries

The Literacy Council and Bulloch County Schools have further increased access to books for Bulloch County children by creating sharing libraries as an extension of the Book Bus.

Seven newspaper boxes have been converted into sharing libraries for children. They have been placed at Luetta Moore Parks, Boro Sno, Lanier's IGA in Portal, and El Maguey in Brooklet.

Crystal Simpkins demonstrating how the sharing libraries work

Whitfield Signs and The Statesboro Herald made this project possible along with a Community Transformation Grant from the Georgia Department of Education and local sponsors.

Literacy Council members place the first sharing library

Reading Nooks

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."

Reading Nook Photo Contest

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:

Visit one of our community reading nooks or your own home reading nook
Upload a digital photo of yourself reading with a child, ages infant to five-years-old, to the contest website during the contest period.

The community can vote online at the same website, and winning entries are announced during Literacy Luau and in local media.

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

Literacy Events

children visiting an activity table during the Literacy Luau

Come celebrate Read Across America Week in March with the Bulloch County Literacy Council. It's annual Literacy Luau, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Statesboro High School, is fun for the whole family with free games, prizes, and refreshments.

There are also exhibits by several community organizations who are actively working to improve literacy in Bulloch County. Stop by their booths to learn tips about how parents, childcare professionals, and volunteers can help make our community more literacy rich. Also, learn how you can create a reading nook for kids in your home or business.

Literacy Tips

How You Can Help

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.