Students at Burchett Elementary School in Spring ISD will be the first in the district to enjoy reading material from a Little Free Library placed outside the school, allowing them to choose from a variety of books housed in the small birdhouse-style structure.

Superintendent Rodney Watson said the initiative is part of the Every Child 2020 program, a plan to heighten support for students. The libraries address the Love of Reading component of the plan, he said at a board of trustees meeting held on April 12.

“It puts reading at the top of their minds and makes it come to life,” SISD Communications Specialist Sheleah Reed said

Books are available to the community, and anyone can borrow or donate a book to the collection, she said.

The district purchased libraries for each of its 26 elementary schools from the Wisconsin-based nonprofit Little Free Library organization, which was founded in 2012. The district plans to install the libraries at the schools before summer.

Schools are responsible for keeping the libraries stocked, maintained, clean and dry and for placing them in a location accessible to students and surrounding community.

The libraries are funded through donations made to the SISD Education Foundation’s Gift of Reading campaign last fall as well as by Honda of Spring and individual donations, according to a district press release.