Seeing a need in the community for free activities for children, the TLC Community Center is looking for sponsors to help them launch a series of small lending libraries.

While working with children through the Center’s programs, TLC Community Center Director Angie Odom said many of them told her they didn’t have access to books or activities when school is not in session.

“Many of these children do not have transportation to get to the public library to get a book or take part in their free programs,” Odom said.

After seeing the creation of the Free Little Libraries in other communities and a couple in Elizabethton, Odom said she wanted to try to provide the same service in some of the county’s more rural neighborhoods.

“This provides these children with something to do in their own community that doesn’t cost them anything,” Odom said.

Reading is an important part of a child’s education, and during the summer months some children don’t have access to books to continue practicing their reading skills, Odom said. While delivering food to a drop-off site as part of the Center’s Summer Food Program, Odom said she talked to the children about reading, and many said they didn’t have books for their reading level at home.

“These children said they loved reading they just didn’t have any books,” Odom said. “One little girl told me she would read anything I gave her.”

Odom said she had located a place to purchase several outdoor magazine racks that have doors over the compartments to protect the books from the weather. The racks cost $125 each, which she said will include delivery to the TLC Center. But, she said, there is a deadline on purchasing the racks.

Now Odom is looking to the community help raise funds to purchase the racks so TLC Neighborhood Libraries can be set up in different communities.

“Trailer parks, apartment complexes, or community churches would all be perfect sites,” Odom said. “I would like to see us get at least nine or 10 of the TLC Neighborhood Libraries set up.”

In addition to the racks, Odom said the Center would need donations of books on different reading levels for young children and teenagers as well. The concept of the TLC Neighborhood Libraries would allow children to borrow a book to read, and then they return it to the library when they are done. Books can be cycled between the libraries to make sure there is something new in there for the kids to read.

Odom said she needs confirmation of sponsorship for the racks by Friday, June 23, in order for her to purchase the magazine racks and would like to see local businesses, churches or individuals pledge funds to sponsor a rack. She has already been meeting with community members to find locations for the libraries along with volunteers to monitor them. The TLC Community Center is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and all donations are tax deductible, Odom said.

For more information, or to make a donation, contact Angie Odom at 423-895-8601.