"Literacy one reader at a time" by Meredith C. McGee, Organizer, Community Library Mississippi Goes Virtual

One day in September of 2016, I walked in the Richard Wright Library on McDowell Rd in Jackson, Mississippi and as I stood at the counter waiting to speak with a library assistant, I noticed bare shelves in the children's department. I walked over to the shelves and surveyed them and I was almost floored when I saw the empty shelving space. Then, I took a few pictures with my android phone.

I asked to speak to the head librarian. She peeped her head through the door and told me she was busy and that she would call me later. When we spoke over the phone I said, "Debra why are there so few books on the shelves in the children's department?"

She mentioned funding cuts and damaged books. So, I suggested perhaps I could organize a group of citizens to form a friends group for the library. She told me she would be happy to have any help. I suggested that we use the community room to show local children how to take care of books since she said some of the book stock had been damaged by local children.

You see, I had a great working relationship with my local librarian and had been called upon in the past to facilitate library programs. I had hosted the community events, "Publish My Book" and "Sell My Book."

I had also used the Richard Wright community room to co-host a book event on Dec. 5, 2011 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Darlene D. Collier. I co-authored Ms. Collier's memoir "Married to Sin." I returned and hosted an evening book signing in Oct. of 2013 for my new book "Odyssey" which is a collection of my poems and other writings.

In Nov. of 2013 I attended William Trest's book signing at the Richard Wright Library for his book "Reverse Guilty Plea." I was particularly happy to attend his event as I had typed his manuscript as well as published his first novella. My business flyer was on the library's bulletin board because I was the neighborhood typist. Residents use to go the library to get my phone number.

At that time, Meredith Etc, a small press, in which I am the publisher and acquisition editor had only taken two books to the market. But, I had acquired two additional manuscripts, "The Southern Jewel: The Elements Within" by Ty A. PATTERSON and "Starkishia: Estrella" by Starkishia Rountree.

I contacted Stakishia, my mother, Hazel Janell Meredith (Hall), Ercilla Hendrix (wife of former Councilman Tyrone Hendrix), and several other people who were interested in serving on the proposed "Friends of the Richard Wright Library" which would have been a volunteer board.

Next, I called the Mississippi Library Commission and was emailed information from Lacy Ellinwood explaining how citizens form friends groups. We were thrilled that it would only cost $50 to form a friends group. We were eager to be in a position to raise funds to stock the books on library shelves in our community, put on literacy programs, and make a difference. Ms. Ellinwood told us she could come to the Richard Wright Library and show us how to form the group. She even mentioned that friends groups use the States identity to raise funds and that funds would be mailed directly to the Richard Wright Library in the proposed business name: Friends of the Richard Wright Library.

The process seemed simple. But it was not. After speaking with Patty Furr, Director, Jackson Hinds Library System she stated that the library's policy only allowed the library system to have one friends group. We felt if one Friends Group could not sufficiently support all libraries the city needed more groups.

Ms. Furr suggested we allow the Jackson Friends of the Library, a volunteer board, to vote or whether or not a new friends group should form in Jackson. The ordeal turned into a Quintus Fabius Maximus strategy which was a cautious delaying war tactic which helped a Roman Military commander win a war against the Great African General Hannibal. The strategy was "put the Negro group off and give them the run-a-round."

Several email communications were directed to an inactive email Mose Dantzler Press. The process dragged out over a year. I presented before Hind County Board of Supervisors to no avail and it took so long that half of the original group dropped out. Those remaining formed the Community Library Initiative.

We collected 100s of surveys and discovered that many families owed library fees and were no longer using the Richard Wright Library. One girl told me her younger brother loved reading but he stopped reading because he could not find any books at the Richard Wright Library which interested him anymore. Some adults were content to use interlibrary loans to have book transferred from Eudora Welty Library to Richard Wright Library. Others just simply started passing by the Richard Wright Library to go to other libraries.

We started smelling the stench of systemic racism in 2016. Literacy, equal access, education black authors... We were not still then, and since George Floyd, you are required to "put out or shut up." Some of the revolution was televised.

Too much happened to discuss, but to make a long story short, we discovered there was a book desert in our city. School children were sharing book resources. Some parents complained that the Summer Reading books were limited and that the waiting list was too long. Parents complained that by the time their child was called by the library announcing the availability of books, the new school year was starting.

I obtained several anonymous correspondences asking me not to give up because local libraries needed friends group to improve library services for local children. Some citizens felt every library needed a friends group. Friends groups raise funds for books, equipment, material, and programs to help bring people to libraries. As the saying goes, "Every library needs friends."

The strategy "put the Negro groups off and give them the run-a-round" continued and we gave up on forming a friends groups but not on having an impact on literacy so we formed Community Library Initiative. We organized our first reading fair during Spring Break of 2018 at Pearl AME Church on Ellis Ave. One of our participants was repeating the first grade. Her teacher had unofficially diagnosed her with dyslexia.

We had 4 to 5 children in that group. The best reader read first, then the next reader read, and so on just like the old fashioned one room school house. Those children bonded nicely and loved Dr. Seuss books. They also did a lot of hands on activities such as coloring and writing in our book series. By the end of the week, two of the children ages 5 and 6 including the child who was repeating a grade were reading. Those two plus 10 other reading coaches and reading fair participants are original members of the Learning Tree Book Club and by the way they are proud of 'it.'

During our second book club meeting two children took turns reading, and the pair read 114 pages in a "Curious George" book that afternoon.

One day a couple passed by and saw us reading books at the Jackson Medical Mall and they made a U-turn. They told us that had never seen a group of people reading books. Kennedi, age 12 announced to the couple, "I am an original member of the Learning Tree Book Club." Community Library Mississippi reaches learners of all ages. Some days, a grandmother would use her one hour and half to read her personal book while the children may read 12 or more picture books.

Today every thing is virtual and we read one person at a time, but the learning exchange is rich. Children read and share with the group and adults read and share with the group. We ask questions and keep reading and learning from each other. Read, read, read!

On July 9, 2019, we officially formed Community Library Mississippi as a non-profit - public charity. That month we released "My Picture Dictionary" and combined "My First Book Series" under one cover; at first there were 6 volumes. For more information visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and online. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/community-library-mississippi-25619420317 we encourage you to get a ticket to one of our upcoming events.

https://www.facebook.com/community.library.ms/ Facebook page

https://www.youtube.com/c/MeredithCMcGeeAUTHOR/ YouTube

*** Make a donation now. paypal.me/communitylibrarymiss Paypal.me button

Ms. Montgomery, a south Jackson resident taking books to relatives. She donated to the program as well Sept 27, 2020.

Mississippi Library History presented by Malesha Smith, Community Library Mississippi Goes Virtual, Virtual Community Speaking Series https://www.facebook.com/community.library.ms/videos/385512702447063

(2016) Dear Ms. McGee,

My name is Laura Taylor, and I am the current President of the Jackson Friends of the Library. It has come to my attention that you would like to attend our next meeting. I wish I could just say yes, but there are two issues: first, this is our annual business meeting, and the agenda has long been set and quite full (I am very diligent to keep our meetings right at an hour as we have many working members on the Board) - we simply don't have time for a guest at this particular meeting; second, and perhaps evenly more importantly, I need to make the Board aware of your desire for a Richard Wright Friends group before we (the Board) can go any further. Most members are unaware that there is a move for a Richard Wright Friends group, and I need to make them aware of it before we can have an outside discussion - this is the typical procedure we follow when it comes to major decisions we make as a Board. I will have on the docket to mention this interest (RW Friends Group), and to let them know you want to come talk to us at a meeting.

That said, I would like to invite you to the following Board meeting on February 21, at noon at (most likely but I'll confirm) Willie Morris; the agenda will be less full, so we'll have plenty of time to hear from you about your plans, and also for us to share with you a little about the goals, operations, and mission of our organization.

Please let me know if you can make the February 21 meeting, and, if anything changes after this upcoming Board meeting, I will let you know. I am sure everyone will be excited to hear your thoughts - we all love our libraries and it's great to see grassroots community enthusiasm for a branch.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and do let me know about the February meeting!

Thank you,

Laura Taylor

President of the Jackson Friends of the Library

Dear Ms. Taylor,

Thank you for your response. We met earlier today. I will inform the team of your communication. Happy Thanksgiving. (my reply)

Laura Smith Taylor <[email protected]>

to: Meredith McGee <[email protected]>

cc: Lacy Ellinwood MLC <[email protected]>,

Patty Furr <[email protected]>,

Maggie Stevenson <[email protected]>,

Elizabeth Alley <[email protected]>,

Ellen Treadway <[email protected]>,

"[email protected]" <[email protected]>

Ms. McGee,

Will you be presenting at our meeting on February 23? I would like to go ahead and set the Agenda. 

Look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,

Laura Taylor

Meredith McGee <[email protected]>Sat, Mar 4, 2017 at 6:03 PM

To: Laura Smith Taylor <[email protected]>I am not attending. I assumed the issue was dead. Thanks for asking. I hope you all have a great meeting. (my reply)