A “BOOKS ARE GOOD” Experiment
In a time where books are being banned and removed from public libraries, and book deserts plague St. Louis, we’re reimagining what literacy equity in St. Louis looks like. In STL City, 97 percent of households will never interact with 100 books over a 20 year period. What’s more, Black third graders in St. Louis have about 25% proficiency in reading, as compared to their white counterparts at 64% reading proficiency.
Our goal at The Noir Bookshop is to get books into the hands of the community any way we can, and eradicate book deserts. Join us in introducing ONYX, a free public book vending machine aimed at providing free books to children in St. Louis. This free public book vending machine will be established in a high-traffic area where children frequent (think community and recreation centers). ONYX will be the first in a network of free public book vending machines in St. Louis. It is our hope to provide access and book ownership to children throughout the city, and to convince everyone that indeed–Books Are Good.
The Noir Bookshop is a concept bookstore dedicated to the Black experience. It specializes in new, used, vintage and rare Black authored literature. It is founded on three pillars: education, inspiration and community. Visit the storefront at 2317 Cherokee St.
