Cook School Fifth Graders, PTO Dedicate Lending Library in Plainfield

PLAINFIELD, NJ — On Thursday morning, Cook School's graduating fifth grade class of 2024 and its Parent Teacher Organization held a dedication for a lending library—also known as a little library—on the school's campus.

"I would like all the students to give yourselves a round of applause," said Cook School PTO Vice President John Johnson III. "Because without you guys investing in yourselves and asking your parents to invest in you by giving you money and going to our Scholastic Fair book sale that we have multiple times throughout the year, we wouldn't be able to use some of those [funds] to purchase that lending library."

"Not only are you giving back to yourselves, but you're also giving back to the community," said Johnson.

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Participants can take a book they find interesting and, ideally, replace it with another that they’ve already read. This keeps the library stocked, and allows community members to share books they enjoy with each other. There are no locks and no one to call for access: it’s all based on the honor system. You can learn more about lending/little libraries at the Little Free Library website .

"Today we are here to recognize and acknowledge the fact that reading is fundamental in many ways," said fifth grader Cori Johnson. "It helps you become a better writer, a better speaker, and overall a better student."

"Reading will help you succeed in life," continued fifth grader Chloe Harris. "Reading can be interesting. Reading allows you to imagine all the possibilities in new worlds. Our class hopes this will make a positive impact on our Cook School community, and remember to read this summer so it can improve your reading and writing skills for the next few years."

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