NEWS RELEASE
CONTACT: Cathy Leiber
www.JudithsReadingRoom.org
Career Nurse Retires to Open Day Care Center in Mississippi
Only to Find Her Bookshelves Are Empty
Judith’s Reading Room Dedicates its 110th Library
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.
Joyce Edwards, R.N. informs the audience about Judith’s Reading Room.
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.
The hand-picked collection of 151 children’s books at a cover price of $1,437 includes baby board books and picture books for children birth-to-four years of age as well as early literacy books for the older children who flock to Watch Me Grow after school. Judith’s Reading Room purchased the collection with Edwards’ expansion goal of accommodating 68 children.
Joyce Edwards, R.N, owner of Watch Me Grow Learning Academy gushes when she describes her life-long dream of having her own business to provide expert day care child services for her community. She says, “our focus is to educate, empower and equip every student we come in contact with, in a nurturing manner. As a new day care center, we have many needs and books were one of them. I am grateful and honored to be in partnership with you all.” Judith’s Reading Room is committed to helping Edwards realize her dream as she expands to capacity.
Watch Me Grow Learning Academy dedicates Judith’s Reading Room library #110 on Feb. 15 with welcoming speeches, book readings, student recognitions and fun for parents and kids alike! Multiple bookcases will be filled with hand-picked books for children birth to 12 years of age.
Judith’s Reading Room
Judith’s Reading Room, a 501 (c) 3 global literacy organization was founded in 2010 in the memory of Judith F. Krug, a distinguished librarian and cousin to the founders. Its mission is: “To enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy.” It has achieved that mission by dedicating 110 libraries (and counting!) in 25 countries (and counting!) with 134,000 books valued at $1.4 million.
Watch Me Grow Learning Academy is the 3rd library established by Judith’s Reading Room in the state of Mississippi. Previous libraries include: St. Peter’s AME Church in Tunica and Avery Chapel AME Church in Southaven. Chosen to be one among the 15 libraries to be dedicated in 2025, Watch Me Grow Learning Academy is the 5th out of 15 libraries dedicated in 2025.
The “15 Libraries to Celebrate Our 15th Anniversary”— Dedication Dates
- Bright School/TEACH Rwanda, Muhanga, Rwanda — January 7
- Escuela ‘Agustin Flores Contreras,’ Puerto Vallarta, Mexico — January 15
- Read for Literacy, “Real Men READ-y,” Toledo, Ohio — February 3 (JRR Library #109)
- Avery Chapel AME Church, Southaven, Mississippi — February 15
- Watch Me Grow Learning Academy, Grenada, Mississippi — Feb. 15 (JRR Library #110)
- Mosaic Preparatory Academy, East Harlem, New York — March 14 (JRR Library #111)
- Louisiana Methodist Family & Children’s Services, Ruston, Louisiana — April 1
- Harkins House, Portland, Oregon — April 4
- Heavy Sound, Edinburgh, Scotland — May 30
- James Prendergast Free Library, Jamestown, New York — July 31
- Chinle Planting Hope, Navajo Nation, Chinle, Arizona — November 1
- Kirioruwa School, Marabedda, Bandarawela, Sri Lanka — TBA
- Vhulakanjhani Primary School, South Africa — TBA
- Janata Aadharbhut Vidhyalaya School, Kathmandu, Nepal — TBA
- Shree Prasad Singh Ma. Vi School, Kathmandu, Nepal — TBA
To learn more about each of these 15 libraries, visit www.judithsreadingroom.org.
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