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CAMERON -- Little readers at Cameron Elementary are about to get their own "little library" and an outdoor collection of books they can access while learning remotely.
The cabinet to house the library has already been constructed, and will be installed once a location has been determined and the weather improves, said Hanna Neely, a reading intervention specialist at the school.
She estimates more than 200 books have been donated for the library, and are being stored in her classroom.
Donations of books for children in kindergarten through fifth grade are being accepted.
"Our kids have been virtual on and off for a while," she said. "Our leadership team decided we needed and that we would like to have (a little library).
"We were talking as a team about how to get kids excited about reading. This was one of the ideas that was brought up, and we ran with it."
Neely's husband Lucas Neely — a woodworking enthusiast — constructed and donated the cabinet from repurposed materials left over from some of his past projects, she said.
Getting books into the hands of students — especially when they are away from school — is necessary for their academic success, according to Neely.
"Reading is the number one indicator of reading success," she said. "
The more books are read to them, and the more they read, the stronger readers they will become. It is very important."
Neely expects most children aren't getting the reading exposure they should as they sit at home.
"I would like to think that they are, but probably not," she acknowledged. "We are hoping this is a way to get books in their hands when we are virtual, or at home for the summer. "
The students have not heard yet they are getting the library, Neely said.