RICHMOND, Calif. — When kids are bored at a Laundromat, it’s usually time for the store owner to start worrying. When kids are bored at businesses here, educators hope they will pick up a book.A new program, which kicked off this week, brings stocked bookshelves to Laundromats and other businesses, allowing children to read them on site, take the books home, keep them or trade for other books, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The goal is to promote reading by providing free books at places where families spend time. The Richmond Children’s Foundation funded the project, with the goal being to make books as accessible as possible.The Foundation gave a $3,000 grant to West County Reads, a volunteer organization focused on literacy, to pay for the program. One West County Reads volunteer called the program an informal lending library.The first bright-red shelf filled with books was unveiled at a Laundromat. Workers will place seven more bookshelves at various locations throughout the city in the coming month. The program may expand if more funding becomes available.Tana Monteiro, one of the parents involved in the project, and a Laundromat user, believes this is a great way to deal with kids’ boredom and improve reading skills.Many of the books were donated, and include bilingual and culturally diverse options. Since children are free to take home and keep books, the organizations will put donation boxes around town to keep the shelves full and varied.
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