Laundry Basket Library

Mansfield City Schools' Laundry Basket Library was established in 2001 as a community outreach.  The purpose of this project is to provide access to books for families across Mansfield.

Laundry baskets filled with books for all ages, are placed in supermarkets, laundromats, hospitals, bus stations, clinics, shelters, and carry-outs.  Each basket is labeled with an invitation to "Take one, Return One".

Laundry Basket Library operates through the work of volunteers and donations.  A team of dedicated Retired Senior Volunteers (RSVP) sorts books, fills and delivers the baskets to sites around town.  The success of this project is demonstrated by its growth from one volunteer and two sites in 2001, to a network of volunteers representing ten partner organizations, and twenty-one sites.  Baskets are restocked twice a month creating a distribution of approximately 1000 books per month.  Books are donated by community members, as well as, by groups such as; the Volunteers of America, Girl and Boy Scouts book drives, and Friends of the Library.

Receiving the James Patterson Page Turner Award will enable the Mansfield City Schools Laundry Basket Library to expand by adding needed genres to the collection.

For more information please contact Deb McKee at dmckee@mansfield.k12.oh.us or log on to www.pattersonpageturner.org