Barbershop Books

These boxes are filled with books that are going out to refresh the shelves of our participating Barbershop Books locations! Did you know that we partnered with Barbershop Books and the Urban Libraries Council to bring books into 10 barbershops around Shreveport? We launched the program last year, and have been thrilled with the response.

✨Barbershop Books, Inc. is hiring a Director of Programs!✨⁠

Our team believes in a future where all children identify as readers 📖 and enjoy learning. We are looking for like-minded literacy advocates to join us in our mission to inspire Black boys and other vulnerable children to read for fun.

This role involves overseeing the development, implementation, and evaluation of our programs, including Barbershop Books, Reading So Lit Platform, Reading So Lit Summer, and the Barbershop Books E-Library. The director will manage program budgets and support a variety of program stakeholders, including community partners, barbershop owners, and parents. Ideal candidates should be experienced, diligent, and share our values, with a proven history in nonprofit leadership and community engagement.

Apply Now: https://ideali.st/ZsBffC

📖✨ According to the National Education Association, children who read frequently have better academic performance.

At Barbershop Books, we're dedicated to making this a reality for Black boys and other vulnerable children by providing access to engaging books and fostering a love for reading. 💙

📸: Columbus Metropolitan Library
💈: One Wave Barbershop East, 1203 S. James Rd., Columbus, 43227

✨Discover the impact of our partnership with the Urban Libraries Council! With the support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, we piloted an early literacy-focused family and community engagement model throughout 2023 and 2024.

In collaboration with four library systems, we developed barbershop-based reading spaces to increase reading opportunities for boys of color in their local communities. This initiative has already improved access to books for an estimated 15,113 Black boys aged 5-9.

Read the full report to learn more about the inspiring stories and the positive change we're bringing to communities in need. 👇

https://bit.ly/3Lvv1ZY

📺 10TV - WBNS just highlighted our Barbershop Books program in Columbus, Ohio!

Last summer, we partnered with the Columbus Metropolitan Library to implement the Barbershop Books program in 10 barbershops in Columbus. This initiative is a part of our ongoing partnership with the Urban Libraries Council to increase reading opportunities for Black boys outside traditional reading spaces.

One barber shared, “They always say fundamentally you can't go wrong with books, man. We've got to keep teaching... they come here to read some books and still stay fresh.”

Click the link below to watch the full segment 📖

Columbus Metropolitan Library provides books for kids at local barbershops The Columbus Metropolitan Library has partnered with 10 local barbershops to provide free books for children to read before and during their haircuts.

💻 Join us for another fascinating webinar today at 1pm!

Community Engagement Matters: Learnings from the Barbershop Books Pilot for Libraries will explore how our partnership with the Urban Libraries Council improved access to books for an estimated 15,113 Black and African American males aged 5-9.

Register here: https://members.urbanlibraries.org/events/2024/07/18/webinar/community-engagement-matters-learnings-from-the-barbershop-books-pilot-for-libraries/

☀️ Looking for a fun summer book for your little reader? Check out this title from the Barbershop Books E-Library!

Pool Day by Melissa Munro Boyd
Pool Day shares the experience of a young girl learning to swim and overcoming her fears about being in water. Despite feeling frustrated, she builds courage to face her worries with the encouragement of her family who help her to build confidence to achieve her goals!

https://barbershopbooks.org/elibrary/pool-day/

💈 We recently visited one of our 34 barbershop partners in Philadelphia and had the pleasure of speaking with Bryant Workman at Duafe Holistic Hair Care.

Here’s what Bryant had to say about his experience with the Barbershop Books program:

“If they took a higher interest in the book, I’d quiz them to see what they read. I’d ask them to give me a brief synopsis, name a few characters, and really show me that they read the book. It didn’t even have to be a kid that I serviced.”

Barbers like Bryant are a crucial part of our mission to inspire Black boys and other vulnerable children to read for fun. Their dedication helps us continue to bring the joy of reading to young readers across the country. 📚✨

Thank you, Bryant, for making a difference in your community!

Join our founder Alvin Irby for a session on Wednesday, July 16th! Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and Early Learning Nation will host leaders in , including:

📚 Tabitha Blackwell from Book Harvest
📚 Norrine Briggs from The Dollywood Foundation/Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
📚 Alvin Irby, M.S., MPA from Barbershop Books
📚 Kyle Zimmer from First Book
📚 Researcher Iheoma Iruka

REGISTER TODAY to hear Alvin share insights on improving book access for children: https://ow.ly/1Ibi50QolLE

Looking for a meaningful book to read with your kids this Fourth of July? Check out "Blue Sky White Stars" by Naberhaus, illustrated by the incredible Kadir Nelson.

An inspiring read for the whole family! 📚✨

➡️ https://bit.ly/3W9O1Dx

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July! 🇺🇸

Wishing everyone a safe and joyous holiday weekend filled with family, friends, and fireworks! 🎆

This made our day! 💈 📚👦🏾

Boys are falling behind in school—they're less likely than girls to be ready for kindergarten, read at lower levels, and graduate high school at lower rates.

👨‍🏫 Men who teach kindergarten are uniquely positioned to help put boys on the right track, yet only around 3% of kindergarten teachers are men.

Check out this article by The New York Times to hear male kindergarten teachers share how they use their own experiences to create a brighter future for their students.

Boys Are Struggling. Male Kindergarten Teachers Are Here to Help. Only around 3 percent of kindergarten teachers are men. We interviewed a dozen of them about the joys of the job and the challenges boys face today.

🌟 As communities around the United States celebrate Juneteenth, Barbershop Books Founder, Alvin Irby, invites you to consider the historical context that produced this holiday.

Despite how uncomfortable, difficult, or seemingly inappropriate talking to children about the Civil War may be, it just might provide them with the empathy needed to avoid the inescapable violence of generations past and present.

Read more: https://barbershopbooks.org/2024/06/little-learners-big-lessons-the-week-i-taught-first-graders-about-the-civil-war/

🌟Parents, don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!🌟

Enroll your son in our FREE Reading So Lit Summer program – a two-week virtual adventure designed especially for boys of color ages 6-8. Our program features inspiring youth instructors, interactive lessons, and fun, hands-on activities that will ignite your child's passion for reading!

✨Spots are filling up fast! Give your son the chance to improve his reading skills, boost his confidence, and create unforgettable memories.

Session 1: July 8th – July 18th
Session 2: July 22nd – August 1st

Let’s make this summer the best one yet! Click the link below to reserve his spot now. 📚✨

https://bit.ly/RSLS2024

🌟 Small donation, big impact! Your contribution to Barbershop Books helps provide essential resources and training to promote literacy in underserved communities. Join us in making a difference today! 📚

➡️ https://bit.ly/4cbfri9

✨ We’re thrilled to share the success of our partnership with the Urban Libraries Council and Cleveland Public Library! Our Barbershop Books Pilot for Libraries brings books directly to barbershops, inspiring Black and Brown boys to read for fun.

Through this initiative, libraries are transforming barbershops into community-based reading spaces, providing books and literacy opportunities to young boys. Learn more about the incredible impact this program has made in the blog post linked below which features a case study from Cleveland Public Library. 📖⁠

Read more:

How a Mobile Barbershop Helped Increase Childhood Reading in Cleveland How a Mobile Barbershop Helped Increase Childhood Reading in Cleveland A mobile barbershop on-site at Cleveland Public Library’s Barbershop Books launch event on August 12, 2023, at the Glenville Hip Hop 50 Festival in Sam Miller Park.Written by Katie Sullivan, Senior Program Manager, Urban Librar...

📚✂️ We’re proud to partner with 265 barbershops across the country, reaching over 10,500 boys annually! Together, we’re creating fun and engaging reading experiences that inspire a lifelong love of books. 💈📖

🔍 Discover how strong home-school connections and culturally responsive practices can help bridge kindergarten racial/ethnic gaps! 🏫📚

“Positive things can come from the dialogue that occurs between home and school — two essential contexts for early learning and development.” 🌟

Read the full article from the Early Learning Network to learn more about the critical role of trust and partnership between parents and teachers.

https://bit.ly/3RrptCY

🌟 At Barbershop Books we believe in the power of early, positive reading experiences to shape children's futures. With your generous donation, we can reach more communities and inspire even more children to become lifelong 📖 readers.

Join us in our mission and make a difference today!

➡️ https://bit.ly/4cbfri9

🎉 Reflecting on our amazing partnership with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library for the launch of our Barbershop Books program in Charlotte!

With funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and support from the Urban Libraries Council, we partnered with four library systems to create child-friendly reading spaces and provide training for barbers in 40 barbershops.

Alvin Irby, our Founder & Executive Director, shared: “In many communities of color, barbershops serve as community hubs. Black boys generally visit the barbershop once or twice a month, creating a unique opportunity to connect reading to a male-centered space.”

Thank you to everyone who made this event a success! Together, we're impacting the literacy and lives of young Black boys.💙📖

🐶 Check out this title with the little animal lover in your life!⁠
⁠
Rosco Run. Rosco Fun. by Steven C. Thedford⁠
⁠
Once upon a time, there was a little dog named Rosco that lived in our neighborhood. As we left for work and school, Rosco roamed the subdivision without a care in the world. When we returned home at the end of the day, Rosco was still walking the streets in the subdivision, enjoying life. Rosco Run. Rosco Fun. is a picture book about Rosco enjoying a day of leisure.⁠
⁠
Visit our E-Library to read the full story: https://barbershopbooks.org/elibrary/rosco-run-rosco-fun/

📚✨ Exciting Opportunity Alert! ✨📚

Barbershop Books is hiring Summer Youth Instructors for our Reading So Lit Summer Program! We’re looking for male high school students of color, ages 16-18, who love reading and want to inspire young boys this summer.

If you or someone you know fits the bill, don’t miss out! This role offers leadership, mentorship, and teaching experience, plus the chance to work under the guidance of a Certified Educator. Youth Instructors will lead virtual lessons, join weekly career development workshops, and motivate boys to read for fun.

📅 Apply now and make a difference!

https://bit.ly/3XpMw5d

⏳ Don't wait! Enroll your son in Reading So Lit Summer today.

🚀 Our innovative program offers interactive lessons, inspiring mentors, and fun activities that ignite a passion for reading. Session 1 begins July 8th – for boys of color ages 6-8.

Register: https://bit.ly/RSLS2024

💭Imagine a world where kids help design their own reading tools! ⁠
⁠
🌟 Read about it in The Joan Ganz Cooney Center's latest blog post. “We aim to include kids in every step of the journey,” says Rebecca Kockler, Executive Director of Reading Reimagined.⁠
⁠
⬇️ Explore how young readers are reshaping literacy tech! ⁠

Re-imagining Reading: How Reluctant Readers Would Design Their Own Educational Technology According to NAEP only 14% of U.S. students reported reading for fun almost every day in 2023 - 13 percentage points lower than 2012 - and average reading scores have declined for most sub-groups of 8th graders since 2020. Tackling this crisis in reading requires a multi-pronged approach to understa

☀️📚 Check out this heartfelt testimonial from one of our Reading So Lit Summer parents!

Our FREE two-week virtual program is designed to inspire boys of color ages 6-8, helping them improve reading identity, boost motivation, and enhance achievement. Join us this summer and let your child experience the transformative impact of relatable role models and engaging reading activities. 🌟✨

➡️ Learn more: https://bit.ly/RSLS2024

✂️ From haircut conversations to life lessons, barbershops have always been hubs of community and connection. Dive into this article by WHYY showcasing how barbers are using their platforms to mentor and empower Philly's youth.

“When they leave us, they know that there is hope and there are people that care and there are Black men that care about Black boys,” says organizer Kaliek Hayes.

Thank you Youth Outreach Adolescent Community Awareness Program (YOACAP) and Urban Affairs Coalition for making this initiative possible. It's inspiring stories like these that fuel our mission at Barbershop Books. ✨

Barbers are mentoring Philly students mid-haircut: 'It's like a therapy session' Against the backdrop of the city’s gun violence crisis, students are able to open up wIth the safe-space ethos of the makeshift barbershop.

📚✨ Dive into our E-library pick of the week: "When I Grow Up I Want To Be… An Accountant" by Adrian Mayse.

This colorful picture book introduces children to the exciting world of accounting, featuring diverse characters and vibrant illustrations. 🌟 Perfect for aspiring young accountants, this book sparks curiosity and encourages early learning about financial literacy. 💼 Get ready to inspire the next generation of number-crunchers!

https://bit.ly/3W4L5s3

🌟✏️ Calling all parents of Black and Brown boys aged 6-8! 📖 Reading So Lit Summer is the perfect opportunity to spark your child's love for reading. Engage in virtual 💻️ reading classes, join read-alouds with male youth instructors, and receive a personalized progress report. Don't miss out! Sign up today.

➡️ https://bit.ly/RSLS2024

📚✂️ Barbershop Books: Igniting a passion for reading in Black boys and vulnerable children. With only 18% of 4th-grade Black boys scoring proficient in reading, we're on a mission to change the narrative. Join us in creating a future where all children identify as readers!