Books are so much more than mere words printed on a page. They are a door to other worlds and give us glimpses of other people’s lives. However, not everyone has equal access to books. To change that, Random Acts supporter Brianna Brumbaugh supported the Oglala Lakota Library by donating children’s books.
Brianna grew up in the rural US Midwest with a small library, and visiting a well-stocked library turned into an hour-long special family trip. So when Brianna came across a social media post by the Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation asking for book donations for the Oglala Lakota Library, she knew she needed to help. The cause was close to Brianna’s heart, and the donation would also support an underserved community. Brianna went to the Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation website to have a look at the books on the Oglala Lakota community’s wishlist. With a selection in mind, Brianna contacted Random Acts to set her act of kindness in motion.
Oglala Lakota College Library – Build Your Own Library
The Oglala Lakota College Library, the only public library on the reservation, coordinates an ongoing “Build Your Own Library” project for which they hold events for children in various areas of the reservation.
Children of all ages are invited for story time sessions. After the sessions, the children are offered a selection of age-appropriate books from which they can choose titles they like to take home. The library aims to engage the children in reading, expose them to the opportunities the library has to offer, and encourage them to build their own libraries at home. In order to do this, donations, just like Brianna’s, are vital.
A Literal Delivery
After Brianna had received the funding from Random Acts, she went on to purchase the books she wished to donate. Brianna had decided on six books from the Redwall children’s fantasy series from the community’s wish list. She did some research and located a bookshop that had several of the books she needed. A few days later, Brianna’s book donation was delivered directly to the reservation.
The staff of Oglala Lakota College Library were thankful and happy about Brianna’s donation. Brianna was filled with happiness. Her donation made a difference and will help to bring children and books together.