Nonprofit Brings New Books to Underserved Students
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN that some of LA’s public school libraries have as few as three books per child, while the libraries themselves are dreary spaces long overdue for improvement.
Rebecca Constantino, Ph.D., launched Access Books in 1999 to transform public school libraries in underserved neighborhoods by removing old, tattered books and replacing them with brand new, popular, relevant hardcover books. They also improve library spaces with literacy-themed murals, a reading couch and new carpeting. Rebecca explains: “No matter where they live, every child deserves access to high-quality books and the popular
titles they love to read. Books and libraries can be a refuge and source of emotional support for students.”
Access Books refurbishes each library on a single Saturday with the help of 50-75 volunteers. Each recipient school is matched with another school that conducts a book drive and provides volunteers to help sort and shelve books and paint murals.
By contributing to an Access Books library makeover, you help create better opportunities for LA’s most vulnerable children and a better future for all of us.
| NAME | Rebecca Constantino |
| PHONE NUMBER | (310) 284-3452 |
| ADDRESS | P.O. Box 64951, Los Angeles, CA 90064 |
| WEBSITE | https://www.accessbooks.net/ |
| SOCIAL MEDIA | |
| SERVICES PROVIDED | Education, Community Development, Youth Support, Nonprofit |
| MISSION STATEMENT | Access Books provides quality books to public school and community libraries where the majority of students live at or below the poverty line. They also collaborate with partners to host fun, literacy experiences for families in communities throughout Los Angeles. |
| SERVICE AREAS |
Central Atwater Village • Baldwin Hills • Bel Air • Beverly Grove • Beverly Hills • Boyle Heights • Century City • Cheviot Hills • Chinatown • Commerce • Culver City • Dockweiler • Dodgertown • Downtown • East Hollywood • East Los Angeles • Echo Park • Edendale • Fairfax • Firestone Park • Gramercy Park • Griffith Park • Hancock Park • Hollywood • Hollywood Hills • Hyde Park • Inglewood • Jefferson Park • Koreatown • Ladera Heights • Larchmont Village • Leimert Park • Los Angeles • Los Feliz • Macarthur Park • Mid-Wilshire • Miracle Mile • Mount Olympus • Oakwood • Outpost Estates • Palms • Park Mesa Heights • Pico Heights • Pico-Robertson • Pico-Union • Rancho Park • Rimpau • Silver Lake • University Park • Vermont • Vermont Square • Vernon • View Park • Watts • West Adams • West Hollywood • Westlake • Westwood • Whitley Heights • Windsor Hills San Fernando Valley Arleta • Bell Canyon • Burbank • Calabasas • Canoga Park • Chatsworth • Encino • Granada Hills • Granada Hills North • Hewitt • Hidden Hills • Lake Balboa • Lakeside Park • Mission Hills • North Hills • North Hollywood • Northridge • Pacoima • Panorama City • Porter Ranch • Reseda • San Fernando • San Fernando Valley • Shadow Hills • Sherman Oaks • Sherman Village • Studio City • Sun Valley • Sunland • Sylmar • Tarzana • Toluca Lake • Toluca Terrace • Tujunga • Universal City • Valley Glen • Valley Village • Van Nuys • West Hills • Winnetka • Woodland Hills Westside Brentwood • El Segundo • Fox Hills • Lennox • Malibu • Mar Vista • Marina del Rey • Montana • Ocean Park • Pacific Palisades • Playa del Rey • Playa Vista • Santa Monica • Sawtelle • Topanga • Venice • West Los Angeles • Westchester • Westside |
How You Can Pitch In
Refer A Business
Let us know about your favorite local business. We’ll donate $10 to Access Books for each recommendation.
Volunteer
Access Books has no full-time employees and relies on volunteers. Lend your planning skills, marketing savvy, artistic abilities or free time to refurbish a library. Consider sponsoring an underserved school by running a book drive on its behalf.
Email lkampfner@accessbooks.net
Donate
Donate money to purchase new books: accessbooks.net/donate-money
