We are so impressed with Access Books Bay Area! Not only did they help us weed out very outdated books from our library collection, they donated thousands of books in both English and Spanish to support our bilingual program. Access Books helped us transform our library experience, but most importantly, they helped us promote "Love of Reading" by providing our students with titles students identified as preferred reading options. In addition, Access Books installed and provides books on an on-going basis for a beautiful book box in front of our school. This project gives our students and community easy assess to reading material after-school and weekends. Just want to stress that all of this work happened under very difficult Covid restrictions.
Access books Bay Area is an amazing organization that our family has enjoyed volunteering with for many years. My favourite part is painting murals in the library refurbishment projects. It is so gratifying to work alongside a mix of volunteers both from the communities served and outside. Everyone, from the littlest kindergarteners to older students, staff, parents and even grandparents, has always been so enthusiastic and excited to work together and see the transformations. I know this is only one part of the work done by access books, and appreciate everything they do behind the scenes throughout the year to foster the love of reading in children.
I started volunteering with Access Books when I was in middle school and the founder of the chapter was my librarian. I've always loved reading and school libraries, so I was drawn in by the goal to improve school libraries and make reading more accessible to students. I've tried to volunteer at every project I can, working on sorting books and mural painting, and have been amazed by the community created at every project. There is a strong community of volunteers including board members and the founder, who has been on site working at every library refurbishment project I have been to. The library projects also have a great turnout of volunteers from the community the library is serving, and it is great to see how passionate they are about the project and to see kids connecting with books and their libraries. Now that I am in college away from the Bay Area, every time I am home I still look for an Access Books project to volunteer at, and have been amazed at how they have adapted to covid, continuing to provide access to books even when business as usual has been disrupted.
I really enjoyed volunteering with Access Books in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was an education for me and my family. The great thing about Access Books is that there’s something for everyone to do, from sorting and labeling books, to painting murals.
Access Books provides current and relevant books to public school libraries that have not had budget to purchase books in ages. The organization also revitalizes underfunded public school libraries by painting and refurbishing them. The end result is that once-dreary school libraries with unappealing titles are transformed into welcoming and vibrant spaces housing new, exciting books, and children are encouraged to read. My family and I have had the privilege of volunteering with this organization on several occasions and have found each experience to be rewarding. We will continue to support this important organization.
We recently became involved with Access Books Bay Area, a great local non-profit. Their mission is to promote literacy through greater book access in low-income K-8 schools. They do that through full school library refurbishment projects, book drives, neighborhood lending libraries, and classroom book donations. Volunteers help process donated books and participate in library refurbishment projects. It’s a great opportunity for adults and teens to get involved since it’s fun and simple tasks for people who love books!
Our family has been volunteering with Access Books for about three years now. Access Books is a wonderful nonprofit that addresses a critical need in our community -- the need for all children to have access to current and relevant reading material. Amanda Collins and Alison Guan are passionate about their work and it shows. They are at *every* Access Books activity we've attended, working alongside the volunteers to process books, paint libraries, refurbish space, etc. We find that our work with this organization is much more fulfilling than other volunteer work as the recipient schools really appreciate the assistance. We will continue to support this wonderful organization.
Here at Santee Elementary School library are so happy with Access Books Bay Area! They meet with us to develop a plan to not only help us weed out very outdated books from our library collection, they donated thousands of books in both English and Spanish to support our bilingual Santee's under privileged students. Access Books helped us transform our entire library, they created a nice complete selection of Graphic Novels for students to enjoyed, but most importantly, they helped us promote "Love of Reading" by providing our students with titles students identified as preferred reading options titles that are popular among students on any age ranging from 6 years old to 12 years of age. In addition, Access Books painted several beautiful murals outside the library and inside creating a welcoming environment for all to enjoy! This project gives our students the chance to have new books, new titles and to have the opportunity to be reading upgraded books. Also I want to mention that access books donated super cool library furniture to create inviting reading areas on both sides the library for young students and for the upper grade students.
Thanks Access Books!!!!!
It has been my absolute pleasure to work alongside Access Books Bay Area as part of the African American Parent Advisory Council. Together we have installed 7 Little Free Libraries stuffed with books provided by the Read and Color Initiative and Access Books Bay Area. We have installed books in areas throughout San Francisco where access to free, culturally relevant books are limited. Access Books Bay Area have been thoughtful and strategic partner who has gone above and beyond to make our dream to place Little Free Libraries all throughout communities densely populated with African American and Black students a reality. Support ABBA and do it now! Check out this short clip of Amanda: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/W7M4bF1ukMc
I discovered Access Books Bay Area during the first year of the pandemic when I was searching for books to give away at Black family events hosted by the school district's African American Parent Advisory Council. My usual sources weren't available and Access Books not only came through, they shined! I explained our needs and they willingly shifted to support our effort to provide books to children and families that are representative and reflective (focusing on Black authors, illustrators and lives).
Since then, we have collaborated on installing Little Free Libraries (LFL) in neighborhoods that historically have not had them. Amanda even helped me learn how to install one of the LFL libraries!
Amanda and Access Books Bay Area truly have providing good quality books to under-sourced communities in their hearts and in their work. They are BookStars!
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Access Books Bay Area (AABA) has been amazing!
Amanda, their executive director, has been consistently responsive and supportive!
When school buildings closed, I reached out to AABA on behalf of the African-American Parent Advisory Council (AAPAC) in San Francisco to help supply a book giveaway. AABA was not only a major contributor to the AAPAC book giveaway, they supported the effort to provide books by Black authors and illustrators to reflect and mirror the community members who will be reading them.
Further, AABA will be supporting the AAPAC's effort to place Little Free Libraries (and their Read in Color project) in city locations where boxes they are less prevalent.
We are fortunate to have Access Books Bay Area!
I have so much appreciation for their work.
We volunteered with this organization by running a book drive and recently help revamp an elementary school library. We got involved with this organization because of their work in the community and our love books. Every child should have access to relevant and well kept books and libraries. Additionally Access Books Bay Area is very organized and their mission and purpose is clear.
I have worked with Access Books Bay Area for the past two years running book drives on our school campus to help other schools in the Bay Area! The students are always very invested in the work that Access Books accomplishes and are inspired to become a part of the journey of providing access to books in Bay Area school libraries. Access Books Bay Area is extremely professional and wonderful at communication. They respond in a timely manner, are flexible with book deliveries, questions and concerns, and more. I am excited to continue our partnership together moving forward.
This Summer 2022, Access Book Bay Area donated more than 50 books to Amigos de Guadalupe's Summer Under the Sun Program. Our program focuses on supporting our students in strengthening their literacy skills, and on instilling in them the power of social justice through the work of historical figures. Our students were excited to read about about Jackie Robinson, Justice Ruth Bader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and many more.
Our teachers were excited to be provided with brand-new and gently used books. They build their lessons based on the books they received, and allowed students to pick their favorite book and to write about it.
Thank you Access Book Bay Area!!!
Ever since I started working at our school library 7 years ago, I wanted a little library share box. I asked several people over the years if they had an idea, or a connection to get one, how to , you name it , I asked . Then one day I receive this email form Access Books Bay Area asking if I would like a Little Library to share books with the community. I was the first to reply ..YES!!! Within weeks this wonderful family that volunteers, installed our Little Library. It was perfect! On top of this beautiful library, Access Books Bay Are filled it with the most wonderful books , perfect for our age group. Plus, extra books to refill as needed. This is the most generous , necessary donation for students. There are books always there for them , anytime they need one. Thank you so much for allowing access to books 24 hours!
As a parent and Access Books Bay Area volunteer, I love seeing children have a love for reading and all joys that come with it. Access Books does so much direct, heartfelt work to help that connection of reading and kids come alive in so many Bay Area schools. With their library improvement projects, Access Books gives so many Bay Area students the never ending benefits of imagination and self confidence! Always happy to give Access Books my time and support.
Access Books Bay Area is a worthwhile cause that I have volunteered for and enjoyed helping. They do good work to promote literacy. School libraries (and librarians) are desperately needed in low income areas. ABBA understands the importance of relevant, topical books in these libraries. The clear result of buying books for the libraries makes an impact in these schools! This is a good & effective organization.
I had an excellent experience working with Access Books Bay Area as a board member from June 2020-2021. During my time with the team, I was impressed by their dedication and passion for their mission. During the pandemic - when schools and school libraries were closed - the team pivoted strategies and found a way to continue supporting their mission of promoting literacy for elementary students in underserved communities through innovative ideas such as library book boxes. These book boxes provided students with access to books in an especially critical and challenging time. Access Books Bay Area makes a real impact in schools and the local community. They were a strong, organized and effective organization that I was proud to be a part of.
During the pandemic Access Books reached out to me to support a holiday gift program for low-income families and children. They donated, ordered, and delivered great books for the children in our program. The team at Access Books showed their generosity, commitment to children’s literacy, and flexibility/ingenuity during a crisis. A great organization!
I learned about Access Books after they partnered with Environmental Volunteers, an organization I have been involved with for the past 10 years. Together we provided science topic, grade level specific books in addition to the fiction and non fiction books they provide to so many underfunded schools. During Covid, when school libraries were not accessible, they began a project to set up "Little Libraries" on the school grounds. They utilized their volunteers in the way the volunteers felt comfortable, whether it was building the library, painting the library or installing it. I felt so proud to see the library my family built installed and being used by students in an underfunded district. They are organized an provide a wonderful service to the schools and students they impact!
Access Books Bay Area takes great care in bringing book joy to under-funded schools and to the kids who attend them. Keep up the great work!
Access Books has been a tremendous resource for our students and school community! In addition to helping with getting our library repainted and weeded for new engaging books, they helped set up a little book box in front of our school to promote literacy with a grab-and-go library for all readers! They have a great team to support students and schools. Thank you so much!
I'm so impressed with Access Books Bay Area. It is very important for children to have access to books of all types. ABBA creates wonderful libraries in schools that don't have resources. During the Covid lockdown, they installed many "little libraries" outside schools and kept them stocked with books that kids could take and read.