PCC Student Group Cuts Ribbon on New ‘Little Libraries’

WINTERVILLE—The Pitt Community College Education & Child Development Student Organization (ECDSO) held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday to introduce campus and the community to a new source for borrowing literature.

The ceremony took place in front of the Charles E. Russell Building, which is home to PCC’s Education & Child Development programming and the site of one of two “Little Libraries” now on campus.

“We were thrilled to see the amount of support from our campus and community for our Little Libraries,” said PCC Education & Child Development (ECD) instructor Melissa Brinkley. “We have already seen an increase in use in both Little Library locations on campus and could not be happier.”

Brinkley says an anonymous donor purchased materials for and built the libraries, and they were installed in January. In addition to the one in front of the Russell Building, she said there is another beside a campus bus stop, across the street from the PCC Police Department.

“Students, faculty and staff all had very positive things to say about these additions to campus and were excited to utilize them,” Brinkley said. “We even heard some departments were jealous they didn’t have one in front of their building, so, who knows, maybe this will lead to similar projects for ECDSO in the future.”

As the sponsor for Pitt’s Little Libraries ECDSO will be responsible for their upkeep, Brinkley said, adding that “anyone from the community can take a book from the libraries, and anyone can leave one.”

Brinkley said PCC’s Little Libraries will be placed on the READ ENC map of Little Libraries across eastern North Carolina “for all to see.” In addition to bringing more foot traffic to campus, she is hoping to see “more adults and children have access to free books” and reading more often.

“After all,” she said, “when children see adults read, they are more inclined to pick up a book and fall in love with reading themselves.”

02/27/2023