First-ever Library in Sri Lanka
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First-ever Library in Sri Lanka

Byjrrtestadmin

May 6, 2025 — A chance encounter on a flight from New York to San Francisco in 2017 found Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room of Pennsylvania and Professor Tissa Wijeratne, Senior Neurologist and Chair, Migraine Foundation of Australia seated next to each other.  Within minutes they discovered that they shared a passion for literacy, coming at it from wildly different perspectives.   The five-hour flight was filled with discussions of brain health, literacy, education and the role that reading plays in lifting people out of poverty.  Their conversation resulted eight years later in a shared commitment to establish a library in Dr. Tissa’s home country, Sri Lanka.  This epitomizes how a Judith’s Reading Room library materializes “out of thin air.”

Judith’s Reading Room Responds to Lost Boxes
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Judith’s Reading Room Responds to Lost Boxes

Byjrrtestadmin

April 15, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room promised retired RN Joyce Edwards that she would receive 151 brand new children’s books from the eastern Pennsylvania nonprofit to create a first-ever library at her new day care center in Holcomb, Mississippi serving 67 children.  Three months later, one box of books is still “missing” in Memphis, TN.

Curated Collection of YA and Graphic Novels

Curated Collection of YA and Graphic Novels

Byjrrtestadmin

April 4, 2025 —Judith’s Reading Room, the global literacy nonprofit organization founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished American librarian and cousin to the organization’s founders, announced its latest donation of young adult (YA) and Graphic Novels to ‘Harkins House,’ a nationally recognized model program and short-term temporary residential shelter located in Hillsboro, Oregon near Portland.

Books for At-Risk Children

Books for At-Risk Children

Byjrrtestadmin

April 1, 2025 —  The Methodist Children’s Home (MCH) in Ruston, Louisiana was honored with a custom collection of Young Adult and Graphic novels as a part of Judith’s Reading Room’s “15 Libraries to Celebrate its 15th Anniversary in 2025.”
 
As the flagship residential treatment program of Louisiana United Methodist Children & Family Services, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to the wellbeing of Louisiana’s children, MCH provides comprehensive, intensive residential treatment for approximately 240 children ages 11-17 each year.

Judith’s Reading Room Inaugurates its 111th Library

Judith’s Reading Room Inaugurates its 111th Library

Byjrrtestadmin

March 14, 2025  —Judith’s Reading Room announced that it has inaugurated its 111th eponymous library at the prestigious Mosaic Preparatory Academy in East Harlem, New York City that serves 235 scholars, grades 3K-5th grade with a custom collection of 221 mostly STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and animal books.

Jane Goodall Institute Nepal to Receive Children’s Books

Jane Goodall Institute Nepal to Receive Children’s Books

Byjrrtestadmin

February 27, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room, the global literacy nonprofit organization based in eastern Pennsylvania announced today that it had reached agreement with The Jane Goodall Institute Nepal (JGIN) to dedicate the first ever library of children’s books in English to Janata Adharbhut Vidhyalaya, a primary school in the Mahottari District, seven hours by car from Kathmandu, in a rural village near Nepal’s border with India.

Joyce Edwards, R.N. informs the audience about Judith’s Reading Room.

Judith’s Reading Room Dedicates its 110th library

Byjrrtestadmin

February 15, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian and cousin to its founders, dedicated its 110th library today at Watch Me Grow Learning Academy in Grenada, Mississippi with 151 brand new children’s books to fill their empty book shelves.
The decision to dedicate the 110th library in February is to honor two occasions:  Black History Month and the 15th anniversary of Judith’s Reading Room.  To celebrate its milestone anniversary, the organization declared a bold initiative:  Dedicate brand new or enhance 15 of its existing libraries in 2025.

Judith’s Reading Room 99th Library Expansion

Judith’s Reading Room 99th Library Expansion

Byjrrtestadmin

February 15, 2025 — In honor of Black History Month, Judith’s Reading Room announced that it expanded its library at Avery Chapel AME Church in Southaven, Mississippi.  The additional donation of books to our 99th Judith’s Reading Room library is a featured part of the organization’s bold initiative “15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary in 2025.”   For this milestone event, Judith’s Reading Room’s board of directors voted to dedicate 15 new or enhanced eponymous libraries across the globe.  

Today, Avery Chapel AME Church inaugurated its enhanced collection of 103 children’s books with a cover price value of $1,042 that will serve 55 children and members of its suburban community near Memphis, TN.  Rev. Dr. Leoda Topps of Avery Chapel AME Church specifically asked for books for all ages and abilities.   As Dr. Topps put it, “None of the children should be left out.”

Award winning children’s author, Ty Allan Jackson curated the collection for Real Men READ-y
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Judith’s Reading Room Dedicates its 109th library

Byjrrtestadmin

February 3, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room, a nonprofit literacy organization based in eastern Pennsylvania announced today that it inaugurated its 109th library In collaboration with Read for Literacy’s Real Men READ-y mentorship program in Toledo, Ohio. Dr. Romulus Durant, Superintendent for Toledo Public Schools urged the students to strive for success through reading at the MLK Academy for Boys celebration.

These students are studying English and volunteered to read in English today in front of their classmates.These students are studying English and volunteered to read in English today in front of their classmates.

Puerto Vallarta Receives Collection of Bilingual Books

Byjrrtestadmin

January 15, 2025 — Judith’s Reading Room announced that its 106th eponymous library, Escuela ‘Agustin Flores Contreras’ in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico received today an expanded collection of bilingual books in honor of the organization’s “15 Libraries to Celebrate Its 15th Anniversary in 2025.”  Principal Ma. Guadalupe Ramirez Lopez requested a collection of bi-lingual books on comprehensive themes including fantasy, values, animals, superheroes and emotions.