The Eufaula Indian Journal (IJ), a sister paper to the McIntosh County Democrat, is kicking off their IJ Kids Corner Free Little Library. The IJ Free Little Li- brary is a community based newspaper initiative to help promote reading for all ages.

Throughout the year, the Eufaula Indian Journal has held a book drive, collecting preloved children’s books for the project.

“We had some older racks that were not being used so we thought we could repurpose them and use them for this project,” General Manager Shauna Belyeu said.

Thanks to our generous readers, a few who donated weekly, we are stocked and ready to go.

Kids can come pick a book, read it and swap it out for another or keep it for their very own.

The first location will be at Under One Roof located at 107 McKinley in Eufaula. We will open it up Saturday, Dec. 16 at 10 a.m. with the first round of books.

The Indian Journal encourages readers of all ages to grow, learn and imagine.

We not only work hard and strive to gather and promote local news and get it in the hands of our community, we want to get books in the hands of all of our future newspaper readers.

“Every child should have access to a book of their own,” Belyeu said.

Reading is a passport to other places and a journey into the imagination. In addition to that it: – Supports cognitive development – Improves language and vocabulary skills – Prepares for academic success – Improves imagination and creativity – Cultivates a lifelong love of reading.

The public library is the first place to start your journey into reading. If you don’t have a library card yet, go see them and they will get you fixed up. They have a wealth of books and programs to choose from.

The paper hopes to provide an extension to that resource, providing a book that kids can read and exchange for another or have a book to keep as their own.

Pre-loved children’s books can be donated at the paper office from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader. www.eufaulaindianjournal. com