Little Free Libraries have been popping up everywhere for the last 10 years, but Aiken County Public School students are being touched by a very special library designed and built by North Augusta High School Junior Lia Murphy and her grandfather, as a part of a five-year long literacy service project that Lia initiated.
In August, Lia was crowned Teen Miss North Augusta and has made “Lia’s Little Library” her platform. Lia stocks the Library, located at Summerfield Park in North Augusta, each week with gently used books that she has collected from family, friends, and community members.
Lia, the daughter of Jennifer Murphy, a Hammond Hill Elementary Teacher, and John Murphy, North Augusta High School Principal, is also on a mission to get books into the hands of all 4-K students in the District to help instill the love of reading in each child.
"With both of my parents being educators, I know the importance of early literacy. I know that many children don't have books of their very own, and I wanted to put books in the hands of as many students as possible,” Lia said. “It has been exciting to grow my literacy project each year, and to add Lia's Little Library to it. It makes my heart happy to know that I am bringing joy to others. I hope that they will love books as much as I do and will develop a life-long love of reading!"
To date, Lia has given more than 1,000 new books to not only 4-K students in Aiken County, but also 4-K students in Edgefield County and McCormick County as well!
LINK TO DISTRICT PRESS RELEASE: PR 2020 LIAS LITTLE LIBRARY