A NEW chapter in community connection has begun in Portland, with a local family bringing the joy of reading to their street through a beautifully named Little FREE Library, Cats and Chapters.<\/p>\n
Supported by United Way Glenelg and registered with Street Library Australia, the library has been thoughtfully created by \u201cEmma\u201d, with a special focus on books for older children and adults.<\/p>\n
The initiative comes at a critical time.<\/p>\n
Research shows that reading for pleasure declines significantly as children grow older, with fewer than half of Australian children aged 9\u201314 reading regularly for enjoyment.<\/p>\n
Creating easy, free access to books within the community is one way to help turn this trend around.<\/p>\n
Located in a front yard 4 New Street Portland, opposite Ambulance Victoria Station, and open to all, Cats and Chapters invites passersby to take a book, leave a book, and share stories with one another, no memberships or due dates required.<\/p>\n
Executive officer Nicole Carr said the initiative reflects the power of simple, community-led ideas.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething as small as a street library can have a big impact,\u201d Ms Carr said. \u201cIt creates opportunities for children to discover books in their everyday environment and helps build a culture of reading within our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Street Libraries are a growing movement across Australia, offering a welcoming and accessible way for communities to share books and connect with one another.<\/p>\n
They operate on trust, generosity and the shared belief that stories should be available to everyone.<\/p>\n
Community members are encouraged to stop by, explore the collection, and contribute a book if they can.<\/p>\n
Because sometimes, all it takes is one book to spark a lifelong love of reading.<\/p>\n
Follow Cats & Chapter Street Library on Facebook to explore what books are on offer each week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A NEW chapter in community connection has begun in Portland, with a local family bringing the joy of reading to their street through a beautifully named Little FREE Library, Cats and Chapters. Supported by United Way Glenelg and registered with Street Library Australia, the library has been thoughtfully created by \u201cEmma\u201d, with a special focus […]<\/p>\n