Nonprofit started by two Loveland students receives Library of Congress State Literacy Award

Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland nonprofit Adopt A BookĀ has been announced a winner of the 2020 State Literacy Award by the Library of Congress. The award is bestowed upon 10 organizations across the country that, “tirelessly work to mitigate illiteracy throughout communities and the world.” Organizations are awarded grant money for, “Exemplary, innovative and easily replicable longstanding initiatives toward this goal.”

Started by current Loveland High School Juniors Hannah and Alexander Laman, Adopt A Book regularly provides books for preschool programs, Cincinnati Public Schools, home-based programming, health clinics, and even schools abroad to encourage children to read. To date, Adopt A Book has donated over 165,000 books to more than 100 organizations, schools and programs that serve children in need.

ā€œI am very honored and it means a lot to me to be recognized by the largest library in the world for my efforts in making sure as many kids as possible have access to books,ā€ said Alex Laman upon receiving notification about the award.

His sister Hannah agrees: ā€œThis award means a lot to me because we were one of 10 recipients from all across the country, so to see that we stood out among many applicants is very meaningful. It is great to not only be recognized for our efforts, but to also be recognized by the Library of Congress, and to think that we have made a large enough impact on the community to be chosen is great.ā€

Alex and Hannah Laman with their parents Brent and Angela at ā€œFall Feastā€ on Thanksgiving Day 2019. Fall Feast is a Give Back Cincinnati program which makes a difference in the lives of neighbors throughout the community, especially the less fortunate, by offering the opportunity for people to unite and share a Thanksgiving meal, receive health checks, haircuts, coats ā€“ and books. More than 2,000 books by Adopt A Book found new homes at the event last November.
This photo was taken when ten-year-old twins Alex and Hannah Lamanā€™s ā€œLittle Libraryā€ Ā was first planted right on the Loveland Bike Trail at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Harrison Avenue. (Loveland Magazine File Photo)

Impacting the community is exactly what Adopt A Book has encouraged many others to do. It all started in 2011, when Hannah and Alex as third-graders at Loveland Elementary School decided to ā€œstart a businessā€ that would donate reading material after hearing about an elementary school in the Cincinnati area that didnā€™t have library books or even textbooks for their students. To share their own love of reading, they turned the idea into an incorporated nonprofit with the help of their parents. For Hannah and Alex, the model is quite simple: they involve other students, teachers, churches and charities, and have reached out to numerous businesses in the area for donations over the years. They run book drives and have expanded their efforts to include fundraising for things like bookshelves, furniture for personal reading spaces, and to create ā€œreading buddiesā€ programs for young children.

The “Little Libraryā€ that Hannah and Alex Laman planted is located along the Loveland Bike Trail in Historic Downtown Loveland. (Loveland Magazine File Photo)

Adopt A Book was nominated for the State Literacy Award by the Ohio Center for the Book as the one Ohio nonprofit that best exemplifies outstanding and innovative contributions to promoting literacy and reading in the local communities. The Library of Congress is expected to announce all winners of the Literacy Awards later in the year and Hannah and Alex will be presented the award of $2,225 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the promotion of literacy and reading at a formal ceremony.

As such successful ambassadors of reading, what are Alex and Hannahā€™s own favorite reads?

For Hannah, itā€™s IT by Stephen King, mystery novels, and any books by John Green.

Alexā€™s favorites include Science Magazine and he reads anything from reference books, Science Fiction and Classics to books on history.

ā€œI always have something on my nightstand, floor or desk,ā€ he said.

Read these past stories about

Hannah Laman a Freshman at Loveland High School recognized for outstanding acts of volunteerism

Read this Loveland Magazine story from 2013 about Laymanā€™s Little Free Library in Loveland

 



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