Reading Robots at the 3rd Annual Healthy Living Community Event

A Day for Families, a NEW Type of Book Spot

On Saturday, September 21st, The Empowerment Factory hosted the 3rd Annual Healthy Living Community Event at Elizabeth Baldwin Elementary in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Learn more about The Empowerment Factory here! This event is an annual community celebration for the families of Pawtucket and surrounding communities to learn and come together with partner organizations that offer resources like financial literacy, free books and gardening support. This year’s event showcased the new vegetable garden in Baldwin’s courtyard area, with community partner booths featuring games, crafts, and free books throughout the parking lot of Baldwin School and on the Baldwin Walking Loop, an urban nature path developed by The Empowerment Factory.

Also at this event, a new type of book spot was introduced: the Reading Robot! Reading Robots are repurposed newspaper boxes that have been recycled into FREE book stations. They will be placed around Pawtucket for people to take, read and keep free books. These unique creations use recycled materials and provide a bright, artistic focal point for schools and neighborhoods. Reading Robots are the result of an exciting partnership between The Empowerment Factory and Books are Wings.

These boxes were originally donated to The Empowerment Factory by the Pawtucket Foundation and repaired by Empowerment Factory Director Gail Ahlers. In a true show of community support, Pawtucket Auto Body finished the “robots” with automotive grade sealant and sparkling Books Are Wings blue to protect them from the elements. Books Are Wings will stock these Book Spots with books that interest the children around the sites of installation. While the first finished Reading Robot was on display at Saturday’s event, there are four robots that once finished will be placed at Blackstone Valley Community Action Program, Pawtucket Elementary Schools and other key community sites.

We will be announcing when these “robots” are permanently installed around the community, so check our Book Spot location page frequently for news of new community Book Spots:

Find A Community Book Spot!

The Reading Robots project was supported by Bristol County Savings Bank, and this partnership will allow Books Are Wings and The Empowerment Factory to support families by providing vibrant, unique community art that supports their literacy needs with free books to build their home libraries.