In the News

Western Mass News Visits Link to Libraries

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 15:11:00 GMT

Volunteers pack books to help Western Mass. kids become
strong readers

By Ryan Trowbridge

Published: Apr. 15, 2026 at 3:01 PM EDT|Updated: 20 hours ago

HAMPDEN, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Members of the Western Mass News team took time Wednesday morning to volunteer at Link to Libraries in Hampden.

Sloane Wick and First Alert Meteorologist Liam Murphy jumped i to box up dozens and dozens of books that are headed straight to local kids.

For some students, it could be the first book they’ve ever owned. Link to Libraries President and CEO Laurie Flynn told us access to books is essential. “A book can change a life. It’s as simple as that. We know that, in order for kids to be successful in school and in life, we have to know how to read and, in order for kids to become strong readers, they need access to books,” she explained.

For more information on how to get connected to Link to Libraries, go to linktolibraries.org.

View video on Western Mass News

Link to Libraries Raises Nearly $30,000 at Celebrity Bartender Event

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 13:21:35 GMT

Funds Raised Will Enable the Purchase of More Than 7,000 New Books for Local Children & Schools in Need

SPRINGFIELD, MA – On Thursday, April 9th, Link to Libraries hosted its second Celebrity Bartending event at The Student Prince and Fort in Springfield, raising a record breaking $29,000.00 in support of their mission to increase underserved children’s access to books at school and at home. These funds will enable Link to Libraries to purchase more than 7,000 new books for children and schools in need across Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut.

“We were absolutely blown away by how the Western Massachusetts community showed up in support of children in need at this event. It was a packed house from start to finish,” said Laurie Flynn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “We are so incredibly grateful to our amazing team of bartenders who raised record funds and brought in over 200 independent donors. It was wonderful to be able to come together as a community and to celebrate this

important work. It takes a village, and our village showed up in spades!”

In addition to tips for the bartenders, Link to Libraries also raised funds through the sale tickets of raffle items generously donated by MGM Springfield, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Max Restaurant Group, Callaway Golf, and

The Student Prince and Fort.

Michelle Abdow and Sue Spiry from Market Mentors along with Janine and Jay Queenin of Specialty Bolt and Screw raised close to $13,000. The race was too close to call, so on behalf of each of the winning teams, Link to Libraries will

donate 100 new books to both Springfield’s Hiram Dorman and Mary Pottenger elementary schools. Both Market Mentors and Specialty Bolt & Screw generously sponsor those schools through Link to Libraries’ Community Book Link

Sponsorship Program.

Other bartenders included: Crystal Neuhauser (UMass Amherst Foundation); Jennifer McGrath (MGM Springfield); Nikki Burnett and Amy Stec (Educare Springfield); Ryan McCollum (RMC Strategies); Kristin Fitzpatrick (William Raveis Realty); Juan LaTorre III (Verizon); Kathy Martin (Glenmeadow); Andrea Hicks-Martin (Elms College); and Michelle and Ben Sullivan (Balise Auto Group).

Tim Cullinan of The New System provided music for the event, and Chris Marion of Chris Marion Photography captured the evening in photos. Both generously donated their time and services.

About Link to Libraries

skills of children of all cultural backgrounds. To date, Link to Libraries has donated over one million new books and sponsors 70 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Boston.

Link to Libraries Expands to Boston

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:42:06 GMT

"Link to Libraries" coming to Boston after donating over 1 million books to kids in need

Laurie Flynn of Link to Libraries talks about the organization's efforts to get books into the hands of children. View WBZ News CBS Boston story below.

22News InFocus with Patrick Berry featuring Link to Libraries President/CEO Laurie Flynn

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 13:47:38 GMT

Link to Libraries CEO and President Laurie Flynn was honored to sit down with Patrick Berry of 22News for an in-depth interview about Link to Libraries and its impact in the community.

Keeping kids reading through the summer and beyond!

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:39:30 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – It’s a common challenge–keeping our kids reading through the summer. So we asked our expert Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries, to help us come up with some creative ways to make reading fun!

View Story on Mass Appeal

Toyota and Balise Toyota donate $10,000 to local nonprofit

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:22:25 GMT

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A non-profit organization that provides millions of books to children received a generous donation in West Springfield on Wednesday.

Toyota matched their Balise Toyota dealership with a $5,000 donation, doubling the amount to $10,000.

Both Balise Toyota in West Springfield and a non-profit organization, Link to Libraries, joined for a check presentation. Link to Libraries participates in programs and partnerships that help young readers of all levels enhance their language and literacy skills.

Whether it was sponsoring schools or reading in classrooms, Balise Toyota has helped the nonprofit in many facets for over a decade, so this money all goes toward the mission.

President and CEO of Link to Libraries, Laurie Flynn, told 22News, “Today is a special day, this $10,000 will purchase about $2,500 for children in need locally, which is an incredible help.”

Link to Libraries launched a new fund earlier this year, the Stephen Kaplan and Susan Jaye-Kaplan Community Legacy Fund, in honor of the organization’s founders.''

Money that is raised will support the needs of families and children in western Massachusetts and beyond.

View full article and video on 22 News WWLP.com .

Getting Answers: Dave Madsen Western Mass News Interview

Sun, 20 Apr 2025 15:39:06 GMT

(Western Mass News)

Getting Answers: April 20

Dave Madsen, thank you for having us to talk about all things Link to Libraries, including our upcoming gala and the launch of the Stephen Kaplan & Susan Jaye-Kaplan Community Legacy Fund! What a treat to have a longer format interview and to be able to cover so much! We are so grateful to you and to our media sponsor Western Mass News. (Note to viewers - you can fast forward through what would have been the ad space to see the full interview!)

View Video on Western Mass News

Link to Libraries to Host 2025 Gala and Launch Stephen Kaplan and Susan Jaye-Kaplan Legacy Fund

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 19:10:01 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Wednesday, April 9, 2025 – Link to Libraries announced today that they will be launching the “Stephen Kaplan and Susan Jaye-Kaplan Community Legacy Fund” at their upcoming gala on Thursday, May 8th at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. This fund is being established as a tribute to Link to Libraries founder Susan Jaye-Kaplan and to her husband, Steve, who passed away in January after a long battle with cancer. Monies raised will be used to enable Link to Libraries to provide community partners with books for children and families in need.

“Sue Kaplan founded Link to Libraries in 2008, with Steve cheering her on and supporting Link to Libraries’ mission in every way” said Laurie Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Known throughout the community for their generous hearts and dedication to bettering the lives of those in need, this feels like the appropriate time to honor them both by establishing a fund that will enable Link to Libraries to better support other local nonprofits who are focused on giving children a chance at brighter futures. Steve’s passing was a terrible loss to our Link to Libraries family, to the Western Massachusetts community and to all who knew and loved him. We hope that this tribute will be a living reminder of Sue and Steve’s tireless work and passion for improving the lives of others.”

Flynn continued, “While most of Link to Libraries work is done through underserved elementary schools, we frequently receive requests from other local nonprofits for book donations to support their own work with children and families in need. This fund will enable us to say ‘yes’ to many more of those requests in the future.”

The Link to Libraries biennial gala will take place on Thursday, May 8th at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The event will be held from 6:00-9:00pm and will include cocktails, dinner and an auction. Tickets can be purchased at linktolibraries.org . All proceeds will be used to directly support Link to Libraries’ programming.

We did a commercial! Link to Libraries and Western Mass News

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 14:46:27 GMT

Western Mass News Cares partnered with Link to Libraries to do a commercial on the important work we do to support childhood literacy and ways for the community to get involved. Books open doors to infinite possibilities and we are so grateful to have Western Mass News spread the word about Link to Libraries. View the commercial below.

Western Mass News Visits Link to Libraries

lflynn@linktolibraries.org (Laurie Flynn) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:16:01 GMT

The Western Mass News crew visited Link to Libraries and helped us label hundreds of books for children in need. Thank you, Western Mass News, for supporting childhood literacy and for being the media partner of Link to Libraries! Watch the video segment below.

Link to Libraries Brings Books to Life Through Children's Book Author Visits

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:57:15 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – On Friday, February 28, 2025, Link to Libraries brought two children’s book authors, Kari Allen and Carrie Kruck, to share their work and passion for books and reading with students at Sumner Avenue Elementary in Springfield and Lambert-Lavoie Elementary in Chicopee. In addition to sharing stories about their journey to becoming authors, Allen read a book from her Maddie and Mabel early chapter book series and Carrie Kruck shared her debut picture book Iggy Who Breathes Fire.

One student at Sumner Avenue Elementary was so inspired by the author visit, she immediately went back to her classroom and wrote and illustrated her own book. Both authors generously donated their time, and Link to Libraries donated a signed copy of their book to every student attending the presentations.

“There is no better way to bring books to life for children than to introduce them to the authors who created them,” said Laurie Flynn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “We are so grateful to Kari and Carrie for so generously volunteering their time and making this extraordinary day possible. Hundreds of students were captivated by their presentations. You could literally see their eyes light up with excitement and inspiration. That is exactly how we create young readers.”

Author Carrie Kruck stated, “The books I read as a child sparked my imagination and introduced me to new ideas and new places. They also inspired me to become a writer, and I’m discovering that my favorite part of being a writer is actually READING – reading with kids, sharing my stories, and hearing their thoughts about books and themselves! Link to Libraries has been igniting that same curiosity, empathy and imagination for over 15 years with their incredible gift of over one million new books to children, and it’s an incredible honor to be working with them to inspire the next generation of readers and writers!”

"I have long admired the work that Link for Libraries does in Western Massachusetts,” said author Kari Allen. “Being able to spend the day at these schools and share my love of words with students is such an honor. As a writer who is also a teacher, I see firsthand the impact that books have on children every day. There is nothing more rewarding than witnessing the joy and discovery that takes place as children are learning to read. I love watching them light up when they find a book or story they love and connect with."

About Link to Libraries

Link to Libraries is proud to be the largest regional distributor of books to underserved youth across Western Massachusetts. The new books that Link to Libraries provides are gifts that enable children, many of whom have never owned a book before, to begin building a home library. To date, Link to Libraries has more than 1,000,000 new books to local children and school libraries. Link to Libraries sponsors 75 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut.

Toy for Joy: Promoting literacy is part of campaign’s mission

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 16:28:39 GMT

Link to Libraries donates 1,000 books to Toy for Joy campaign

By Ron Chimelis | rchimelis@repub.com

(Masslive) The Toy for Joy campaign is in its final stages, but a late surge in donations will make countless children and families happy this Christmas.

The campaign deadline of Dec. 24 comes so quickly. But donations received just before or on that date, or in the mail just after the deadline, count just as much and will go directly toward providing toys, games and books to children from Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties.

Even a contribution mailed on the deadline day of Dec. 24 is applied to the cause.

Now in its 102nd year, Toy for Joy has again been sponsored by the Salvation Army, which has been involved with the drive since the 1950s. The organization’s citadels in Springfield, Holyoke and Greenfield have been distributing gifts to deserving children.

Promoting literacy among children has been a Toy for Joy mission for years. This year, Link to Libraries again supported the cause in a major way by providing 1,000 brand new, age-appropriate books to the Salvation Army.

“These books are worth approximately $5,000 in all. Last year, we donated 600, so we were able to nearly double it this year,” said Amy Anderlonis, executive vice-president of the Hampden-based Link to Libraries nonprofit.

“We think books are the best gift. To make it happen, we rely on the generosity of local businesses,” Anderlonis said.

“For many children, their first book comes from us. Salvation Army was having some trouble getting age-appropriate books, but we think partnering with them helps all of us, and the children.”

Anderlonis said Link to Libraries was formed in 2008 out of deep concern that so many children in school struggle because of reading challenges. The agency has donated over one million books, at an average of more than 50,000 per year, to encourage a lifelong love of reading by children.

Armed with quality toys and books for the children, Toy for Joy is promoted and advertised by The Republican, Reminder Publishing, MassLive and El Pueblo Latino. All contributions will be recognized and published in The Republican and Reminder Publications, and online by MassLive.com.

Springfield school students gifted books as part of literacy program

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:51:12 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – MGM Springfield is partnering with “Link to Libraries” to support literacy in Springfield Public Schools.

The literacy organization works with companies to increase access to reading for children. Since the start of the program in 2008, Link to Libraries has distributed over one million new books to school and home libraries statewide.

On Tuesday morning MGM Springfield and representatives from Link to Libraries hosted a holiday book reading party at the White Street School in Springfield, donating books to the children to bring home for the holiday break.

“We are celebrating the season of giving,” explained Jennifer McGrath, Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement for MGM Springfield. “If this doesn’t grow your heart 3 times the size, I don’t know what will.”

MGM Springfield also presented a check for $2,500 to Link to Libraries to support them in their efforts.

View story on WWLP

Collins Companies and Palmer Foundry Partner with Link to Libraries Donating Hundreds of Books to Help Children & Schools in Need

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 16:08:19 GMT

“Where did these books come from? Are you a magician? This is amazing!”

3rd grade student, Old Mill Pond School, Palmer, MA

HAMPDEN, MA – The Collins Companies of Windsor, CT and Palmer Foundry of Palmer, MA have partnered with Link to Libraries to promote childhood literacy by increasing underserved children’s access to books at school and at home. Through the Link to Libraries Community Book Link (CBL) sponsorship program, The Collins Companies adopted Milton Bradley Elementary School’s library (Springfield, MA) and Palmer Foundry adopted Old Mill Pond School’s library (Palmer, MA). As a result, both schools will receive hundreds of new, high-quality library books each year.

Link to Libraries Community Book Link sponsorship program is designed to help ensure that underserved school libraries have the books they need to inspire young readers. This program establishes a three-year partnership between a business or family and a local school.

On November 5 ^th , the Collins Companies was officially recognized as Milton Bradley Elementary’s Community Book Link Sponsor with a ceremony in the school’s library. Laurie Flynn, Link to Libraries Chief Executive Officer, presented a commemorative plaque to Mary Tuohey Fahey and her sister Kala Tuohey McDonald of the Collins Companies. A classroom of 3 ^rd graders expressed their gratitude with handmade thank you cards. Smiles were all around as the students individually thanked Fahey and McDonald for the new library books.

“Milton Bradley students love to read!” exclaimed school librarian Nancy Stenberg. “Our partnership with the Collins Companies will provide a wide variety of books to broaden their reading interests, keep them engaged, and help them on their journeys to become lifelong learners.”

The Collins Companies, one of the largest industrial distributors of engineered specialties, pipe, valves and fittings (PVF), is a family-owned business. Chief Executive Officer Brian Tuohey and his employees began reading to Ms. Ryan’s 4 ^th grade classroom at Milton Bradley. At the end of each monthly visit, every child gets to pick out a brand-new book to take home. By the end of the school year, the students in Ms. Ryan’s classroom will have their own home libraries of 9 books. “It’s a great experience on every level,” remarked Tuohey.

“The Collins Companies is thrilled to partner with Link to Libraries and Milton Bradley School as a Community Book Link Sponsor,” stated Fahey. “It’s a privilege to see the joy in the children’s eyes as they select a book of their own to bring home each month, which can only help them foster a love for reading and learning. We couldn’t be prouder to have our company and employees supporting this amazing initiative.”

On November 8 ^th , Palmer Foundry was officially recognized as the Community Book Link Sponsor of Old Mill Pond School, which is the second largest elementary school in Massachusetts. Amy Anderlonis, Executive Vice President of Link to Libraries, along with Principal Holly-Beth Riopel and Superintendent of Palmer Schools Matthew Francis, presented a plaque commemorating the sponsorship to Robert Logan, President of Palmer Foundry.

“Old Mill Pond wants to express how much it means to us when community sponsors come forward to support our school,” stated Principal Riopel. “Palmer Foundry’s sponsorship will allow new books to enter our library and get into our students’ hands. It takes a village, and we are so appreciative.”

Logan said he was honored to have Palmer Foundry, which produces aluminum castings for industrial applications, be the Community Book Link sponsor for Old Mill Pond.

“Palmer Foundry is very excited to partner with Link to Libraries and support local Palmer Schools with their literacy programs,” said Logan. “We strongly believe that early mastery of reading is fundamental to long term educational success and overall success of our community. We are thankful for the opportunity to participate in this great program and want to express our gratitude to Palmer’s outstanding teachers and administrators.”

A classroom of eager 3 ^rd graders was also in attendance and couldn’t wait to check out the first delivery of new library books made possible by Palmer Foundry’s sponsorship. “Where did these books come from? Are you a magician? This is amazing!” exclaimed a student.

Link to Libraries Community Book Link sponsors aren’t magicians, but magic does happen when businesses and community come together to support childhood literacy.

“As Principal Riopel said, it takes a village to ensure that children in need in our community succeed in school,” stated Link to Libraries CEO Laurie Flynn. “Link to Libraries is so grateful to the Collins Companies and Palmer Foundry for being a part of our village. Their sponsorships ensure that Milton Bradley and Old Mill Pond students have access to hundreds of new, diverse library books that inspire a love of reading while helping build early literacy skills.”

About Link to Libraries

Link to Libraries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to distribute new books to school and home libraries in need. By increasing a child’s access to books, Link to Libraries strives to enhance the language and literacy skills of children of all cultural backgrounds. To date, Link to Libraries has donated over one million new books and sponsors 78 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. To learn more about Link to Libraries visit www.linktolibraries.org

Westfield church’s thrift store shares its blessings with 2 local nonprofits

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:52:42 GMT

By Amy Porter | The Westfield News | aporter@thereminder.com

WESTFIELD — On Oct. 31, Blessed Buys Thrift Shoppe celebrated its continued success with quarterly donations of $1,125 each to two local nonprofit agencies, Link to Libraries and the Amelia Park Children’s Museum.

Blessed Buys volunteer Carly Bannish said Link to Libraries, which is headquartered in Hampden, increases access to new books for elementary students both at school and at home.

Link to Libraries President and CEO Laurie Flynn said Westfield is the only one of the communities served by the nonprofit that engages every third and fourth grade in qualifying schools in the district, due to an active cadre of retired teachers like Bannish and Blessed Buys volunteer Cynthia Gaylord, who remain involved in the schools.

“Through our monthly volunteer Read Aloud program, we have 20 readers who read in 26 classrooms — all of the third and fourth grade classrooms in the schools. … These readers visit the classrooms once a month, share a story and discussion with the students, and we provide them with enough brand-new books so that each child can choose a book to take home and keep at the end of each visit. That means that by the end of the school year, each of these students will have a new home library of nine books,” Flynn said, adding that both Bannish and Gaylord are monthly volunteer readers.

The program, which was established in 2008, just gave out its 1 millionth volume to school libraries and to third and fourth graders all over Western Massachusetts, Bannish said.

“The funds we received today will ensure that Paper Mill Elementary receives hundreds of brand-new books for their library this year,” said Flynn. “We currently have sponsors for every elementary school in Westfield that meets our ‘needs’ requirement.”

Other sponsors include PeoplesBank supporting the program at Abner Gibbs Elementary School; Pay it Forward Recycling LLC at Franklin Avenue Elementary School; Westfield State University at Southampton Road Elementary School; and Kasperowski Family Dentistry at Highland Elementary School.

View Full Article on Masslive.com

Reading skills will prevent your child from being left behind

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 15:30:46 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – Schools across the region are back in session and it’s an exciting time for both kids and parents. But as parents and guardians of our littlest ones, it’s important that we make sure they read and are exposed to reading constantly so that they are not left behind for the rest of their lives. Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries, is here to talk about the importance of reading and how to make it fun.

View on Mass Appeal

Link to Libraries Raises Over $16,000 for Childhood Literacy at Celebrity Bartender Night

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 16:50:56 GMT

Link to Libraries raised over $16,000 at its first ever Celebrity Bartender Fundraiser at the Student Prince & The Fort in Springfield on April 4 ^th . Local celebrities, community leaders and over 150 supporters packed the restaurant’s bar in support of childhood literacy.

“The support Link to Libraries received and the energy in the room was truly incredible,” said Laurie Flynn, CEO and President of Link to Libraries. “We didn’t know what to expect with this being our first celebrity bartender event. Our initial goal was $6,000 but at the end of the night we brought in over $16,000! That translates to over 5,000 books for schools and children in need.”

The 16 celebrity bartenders were as follows:

Sheriff Nick Cocchi - Hampden County

Dan Moriarty - Monson Savings Bank

Michelle Abdow - Market Mentors

Jennifer McGrath - MGM Springfield

Amanda Purchase - Symphony Hall

Seth Stratton - Fitzgerald Law, P.C.

Patrick Berry - Mass Appeal

Jessie Sierra-Ross - Straight to the Hips Baby

Michelle Wirth - Mercedes-Benz of Springfield

Drew DiGiorgio - Wellfleet

Matthew Bannister - PeoplesBank

Juan LaTorre III - Verizon

Tim Cullinan of the The New System provided the acoustic tunes.

One of the reasons the event was so successful was because the celebrity bartenders collected “tips” or donations before the event on GoFundMe in addition to during the event. Michelle Abdow of Market Mentors raised the most funds, and as a result was awarded 200 new books to donate to a school library of her choice.

“We are so grateful for the efforts of all of our celebrity bartenders and for our community’s generosity,” stated Flynn. “We truly have the best supporters. A million thank yous from the bottom of our bookish hearts!”

View event photos on Facebook

Link to Libraries Brings Award Winning Illustrator Gordon C. James to Liberty Elementary

lflynn@linktolibraries.org (Laurie Flynn) — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 00:49:23 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, MA – Tuesday, March 26, 2024 – On Thursday, March 21, 2024, Link to Libraries brought award winning, New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator Gordon C. James to speak to students at Liberty Elementary School in Springfield. This visit was made possible through a generous grant from Link to Libraries supporters Kathleen and James Pittman of Longmeadow.

In addition to sharing stories about his life as an artist and children’s book illustrator, James also read from his Caldecott and Coretta Scott King honor award winning book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. A highlight of his presentation also included working with students to design and illustrate an imaginary book cover, using students as models and their ideas as inspiration. Link to Libraries donated a signed copy of Crown to every student at Liberty Elementary.

One young student named Lilliana was so inspired by the visit that, upon returning to her classroom, she immediately drew her own children’s book cover and story. Lilliana proudly shared her work with Mr. James before he left the school.

“There is no better way to bring books to life for children than to introduce them to the authors and illustrators who created them,” said Laurie Flynn, President & Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “We are so grateful to the Pittman family for making this extraordinary day possible. Two hundred and twenty students were captivated by Gordon James’ presentation. You could literally see their eyes light up with excitement and inspiration. That is exactly how we create young readers.”

Sponsor Kathleen Pittman added, “We have been so impressed with Link to Libraries’ impact inspiring young people to love reading, providing needed books to take home, and introducing guest readers from diverse careers to spark dreams of a bright future. We are excited for the exceptionally talented Gordon James to inspire budding artists in Springfield!”

"Our visit from Mr. James was an exciting event that sparked a sense of creativity in our elementary students, showing them firsthand the impact of storytelling through art,” said Kelly

Wallace, Principal of Liberty Elementary. “It was a special opportunity for our students to see the endless possibilities that are associated with the creation of books. The experience was rewarding for everyone who was able to attend and we are truly grateful to have participated in such a remarkable event.”

Link to Libraries Connects West Springfield Businesses and Schools

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 17:32:40 GMT

Excitement filled the air on a Thursday afternoon at Memorial Elementary School in West Springfield as Mike Bertera of Bertera Auto Group settled into a chair in front of a giddy classroom of 1st graders. As the students quieted, Bertera began to read the book “Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival” about a blind cat and dog, both with bobbed tails, who leaned on each other during extremely challenging times. The children were hooked.

Bertera Auto Group is Memorial Elementary School’s Community Book Link Sponsor, a program by local non-profit Link to Libraries that connects businesses and community members to elementary schools in support of childhood literacy. When a business or community member adopts a school through Community Book Link, that school’s library receives 200-250 new books each year.

“It is such a great experience to visit and meet with the students and see how much they appreciate the books and enjoy reading,” said Bertera. “Bertera Auto Group is honored to be able to provide books for the library at Memorial School through Link to Libraries.”

Link to Libraries was founded in 2008 out of deep concern for the number of children in the region who struggle in school because of their inability to read proficiently. Through its Community Book Link and Read Aloud programs, Link to Libraries strives to inspire reading by getting more books into the hands of children. To date, Link to Libraries has distributed over 1,000,000 books to underserved youth in the community.

“Learning to read is a child’s best chance for success in school and in life, yet 70% of the children Link to Libraries serves across Western Massachusetts are reading below grade level standards,” stated CEO and President of Link to Libraries Laurie Flynn. “That is why we have made it our mission to support educators by providing books and volunteer readers to help engage young readers.”

Link to Libraries has a unique read aloud program that provides children with free books to build their own at-home libraries. Readers visit classrooms once a month from October through May, and at each visit every student picks out a new free book. Approximately 200 volunteer readers and 70 schools participate in the program.

Chandler Architectural Products of West Springfield has been a part of the Link to Libraries Community Book Link program for several years and recently adopted Fausey Elementary School in West Springfield. The company’s employees volunteer as monthly readers. “I think all of us at Chandler can agree that although we joined to give back, we find that every month we receive so much more back from the program than we could have ever imagined,” stated Kim Mele of Chandler Architectural Products. “And the fact that every child receives a brand-new book when we visit, makes this program a home run for everyone.”

Tania Spear, owner of West Springfield-based Silver Linings Home Care, has been passionate about reading since she was a young girl and contributes her own children’s love of reading to their success as adults. “When the opportunity to become a Community Book Link Sponsor for Coburn School [West Springfield] presented itself to Silver Linings Home Care, I was excited to know that the children of my hometown and the town I raised my children in would benefit,” said Spear.

“Reading with Link to Libraries is perhaps the simplest, yet most rewarding volunteer opportunity I have ever participated in,” added Spear. “It's difficult to express the joy it brings to not only spend time with the students while reading, but to see their faces when they get to pick out and keep their own new book. It makes my day every time.”

To engage young readers of all cultural backgrounds, Link to Libraries makes a concentrated effort to offer a diverse collection of books with titles such as ‘Crown, an Ode to the Fresh Cut’, ‘Eyes That Kiss in the Corners’ and ‘The Proudest Blue’. “West Springfield is a diverse community, and we want the children of West Springfield to recognize themselves in stories,” said Flynn. “We also want to provide children with the opportunity to learn about different cultures, religions and ethnicities.”

Neil Gile is the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for West Springfield Public Schools. “We are currently updating our school libraries so students can have access to literature that reflects their cultural background, and through our partnership with Link to Libraries we are able to do attain that goal,” said Gile. “We are so appreciative to be able to provide families with a rich collection of books that students can identify with.”

Back at Memorial Elementary, the story of the Two Bobbies and the magic of reading stayed with the students well past Bertera’s visit. “The first-grade children talked about their enjoyment of the read aloud all day on Friday,” said Principal Donna Calabrese. “Through Mr. Bertera’s partnership with Link to Libraries, our school library has been enriched with books of high interest to our students. When children read and develop a love for books, their world expands, and their academic progress increases. We consider ourselves very fortunate to work with a community member who values a well-appointed school library.”

When businesses and community come together to support childhood literacy, everyone wins.

Toy for Joy 2023: Link to Libraries donates books for children of all ages

Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:21:19 GMT

By Ron Chimelis | rchimelis@repub.com

( masslive.com ) When Link to Libraries heard the Toy for Joy campaign was in the hunt for quality books for children, the Western Massachusetts nonprofit didn’t hesitate to act.

“It’s a win-win,” says Amy Anderlonis, executive vice president of the Hampden-based organization, which delivered 600 high-quality books to the Toy for Joy effort that benefits underprivileged children in three Western Massachusetts counties.

“Our goal is not to have books sit on our warehouse shelves for long. We want to put them in the hands of children, especially those in need, to help develop their love for reading,” Anderlonis said.

“We are honored to partner with Toy for Joy and the (co-sponsoring) Salvation Army.”

Toy for Joy is in its 101st year and will deliver a toy and book to each eligible child 16 and under whose families have registered with Salvation Army locations in Springfield, Holyoke and Greenfield.

The goal is to raise $150,000 by Christmas Eve. Donations of any size by individuals, groups or companies make this possible, as contributions cover the costs of toys, games and books purchased for this year.

Toy for Joy is sponsored collaboratively by the Salvation Army, The Republican, Reminders Publishing, El Pueblo Latino and MassLive. Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas J. Cocchi leads the list of community partners in this year’s campaign.

According to Salvation Army social ministries manager Danielle LaTaille, who works at the Springfield citadel, book donations assured that the literacy goal of Toy for Joy would again be a success.

“We were struggling to find appropriate books in the 10-to-12 year-old range. We reached out to Link to Libraries, and they responded with great books of high quality, the type that children will read and enjoy,” LaTaille said.

More generosity came from Agawam resident Jeff Moran, who donated 30 cases and hundreds of books written by his daughter. Deeply grateful for this gift, LaTaille said they will be targeted for younger children in the age 3 to 9 bracket.

“These books have good messages that if you do good for others, good will come back to you,” LaTaille said.

Link to Library’s books are of varied, age-appropriate content to recognize different interests amongst different children.

“We’ve distributed more than 1 million books. We look for books that children identify with and that speak to them,” Anderlonis said.

The nonprofit has delivered books to every public elementary school in Springfield and maintains a presence in schools and libraries throughout Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut. It also sponsors Read Aloud programs with the added feature of giving books at these events which children can keep.

“These books are a wonderful donation. They’re of such quality that I’m sure we couldn’t afford them (if the Salvation Army had to pay),” LaTaille said.

The donations by Link to Libraries and the Moran family continue a Toy for Joy literacy tradition that spans 15 years. The gifts were well-timed; earlier in her search, LaTaille said many available books were not necessarily of the content that children would want to read and enjoy.

The Toy for Joy book gift by Link to Libraries was made possible by a donation from MGM Springfield, Anderlonis said.

Volunteers have been unpacking and preparing gift packages for families who have registered in advance with the campaign. LaTaille says the need has been as great or greater than ever before.

Toy for Joy is sponsored collaboratively by the Salvation Army, The Republican, Reminders Publishing, El Pueblo Latino and MassLive.

View article on MassLive

‘They have never surprised us like this:’ MGM Springfield gives back to local organizations

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 18:17:09 GMT

By Daniel Santiago , Photojournalist: Erik Rosario and Abigail Murillo Villacorta

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - MGM Springfield surprised three non-profit organizations with $5,000 each on Monday as part of their “season of giving kickoff” effort.

MGM Springfield kicked off their holiday season and they are doing it in a big way.

“We are starting the holidays a little bit early today,” said Chris Kelley. “We are delivering $15,000 to different community groups. It’s just a way for our team at MGM Springfield to say thank you.”

Chris Kelley, the president of MGM Springfield and his team put on their best holiday cheer on Monday and made three stops around western Massachusetts to gift $5,000 to different organizations.

First stop was at Roca, an organization working to curb urban violence in western Massachusetts. Second stop was at Link to Libraries, an organization working to distribute books to children and schools in areas of need.

Then the last stop was at the Boys and Girls Club Family Center in Springfield, where they engage with the community and host programs that impact kids and families in need of resources.

All three stops filled with surprise, balloons, and a whole lot of holiday spirit.

“Thank you so much,” said Laurie Flynn. “I don’t usually get surprised, so this is amazing.”

Laurie Flynn, the President and COO of Link to Libraries, told Western Mass News what this means to her.

“They have never surprised us like this,” expressed Flynn. “A check for $5,000 means so much to this organization. We pay about $3 for each book that we purchase for young kids. So, you can imagine how many books that will buy.”

Like her, Solomon Baymon, the director of Roca here in western Massachusetts, told us what they’ll be able to do with the $5,000.

“It could do a lot,” noted Baymon. “We serve over 200 youth in the city of Springfield and the western Mass. area alone. From employment to helping them get identification, to different things like that, and food, and meals. So, overall is just a blessing to have something to assist these young people with their daily lives.”

View Video Segment on Western Mass News

Hampden-based organization working to get books into the hands of children

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 17:12:50 GMT

By Abbey Carnivale , Photojournalist: Andrew Evans and Ryan Trowbridge

Published: Oct. 11, 2023 at 2:21 PM EDT

SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - According to a Pew Research survey, students who perform higher on the reading portion of standardized tests are more likely to voluntarily pick up a book, but access to books is the real challenge.

“What we do at Link to Libraries is to get books into the hands and homes of the students and also into the school libraries,” said Laurie Flynn, president of Link to Libraries.

It’s easier said than done, but it’s a challenge that Flynn is happy to take on.

“We know that a child’s best chance in school and in life is through reading. We also know that unless kids have access to books, they can’t become proficient readers,” Flynn added.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 13 million children are enrolled in districts where the availability of children’s reading materials is less than 10 per student. To date, Link to Libraries has distributed over one million new books to students and libraries that need them.

“We have a team of volunteers that read monthly. Every time that they visit, they bring enough new books that each child gets to choose one and take home to keep. We know from feedback that sometimes it’s the only book in that child’s home and, oftentimes, it inspires reluctant readers to become readers,” Flynn explained.

On Wednesday, Western Mass News presented Link to Libraries with a $500 check to hopefully help as many students as they can.

“You guys, thank you so much. Western Mass News is always so good to us and I just have to tell you, a $500 dollar donation buys 150 to 200 new books for kids, so thank you,” Flynn noted.

If you always want to get involved in this, maybe it’s not by financial means, but it is your time. You can just sign up on their website to volunteer.

View Video on Western Mass News

2023 Keep kids learning by encouraging reading at home

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:56:33 GMT

by: Patrick Berry

(Mass Appeal) – Doors to our local schools are all opening right now and kids are excited to see their friends and be back in the classroom. But we as parents, grandparents, and guardians need to make sure the learning doesn’t end on the school grounds. One fun and important way to keep kids learning at home is through reading. Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries is here with more.

View video on MassAppeal

Link to Libraries celebrates milestone book donation

Mon, 08 May 2023 19:41:00 GMT

(By Lauren LeBel, The Reminder) SPRINGFIELD — Fifteen years, 70 schools, 1 million book donations.

Link to Libraries donated its millionth book during a gala event on May 4 at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Link to Libraries President and CEO Laurie Flynn called it a “full circle” moment as the book was donated to Springfield’s Warner School — the same school that was the first recipient of books when the nonprofit organization was founded in 2008 by Susan Jaye-Kaplan and Janet Crimmins.

Link to Libraries was formed as a way to get books to underserved youth across Western Massachusetts.

“Without books children can’t become efficient readers,” said Flynn.

Its mission is to help children increase literacy levels.

Link to Libraries has two “significant programs,” Flynn shared. The first is a volunteer read aloud program. Once a month, volunteers visit schools to read and have conversations about the book with its students. The volunteers also bring brand new books for the children to keep and create an “at-home library” with. By the end of the school year, each child has about eight books in their collection.

“The readers enjoy it as much as the [students],” said Flynn.

The other program is called Community Book Link. This is when a local business or family adopts a school in need and supplies that library with 200 to 300 books each year.

Link to Libraries has approximately 70 sponsored schools, including all the Springfield elementary schools as they are qualified. Additional locations include Chicopee, West Springfield, Westfield, along with northern Connecticut. To be a sponsored school, Flynn said they must have a demonstrated need for this program.

All books that are donated to the schools through Link for Libraries are new. “This is because these children — so much of what they have are hand-me-downs,” said Flynn. “[This is the] one thing that is just theirs.”

The donated books are diverse in topics and culture, while also reflecting children in the classroom and what they want to take home and read, Flynn shared.

Currently, Link to Libraries has about 175 volunteer readers.

During the COVID-19 state of emergency the read aloud program was interrupted, but since its return, it has seen a high number of participants. Flynn said this is a “testament” to the program and the people wanting to be involved.

She went on to say that COVID-19 also had a “devastating impact on literacy levels across the state.” Flynn noted that 2022 MCAS scores showed that 71% of third graders in the districts Link to Libraries serves were not reading at grade level. Third grade is used as a bar because this is the year students go from learning to read to reading to learn, she shared.

Now, Flynn said, the demand in books and the program is “greater than ever.”

The gala on May 4 was the first in-person event that Link to Libraries hosted since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. This event is also the biggest fundraiser the organization puts on and takes place every two years.

At the last gala, $75,000 was raised. When she spoke with Reminder Publishing — before the gala took place — Flynn said they were on track to receive even more this year.

Link to Libraries hosts other smaller events throughout the year, but not typically in a gala year.
Flynn said, “We do our best to raise money year-round.”

She continued, “We are so grateful to our donors. They are what keep us going.”

To donate, visit linktolibraries.org .

Since Flynn joined the board in 2017, much has changed. “Grow is the key word,” she said.

“[We] have grown dramatically in terms of the number of schools to service,” Flynn added.

She noted that they have also grown geographically, to include a part of Connecticut and the Berkshires.

For Flynn, she shared that her favorite part has been reading to the students and “making that personal connection.”

She recalled a time she read to a little girl who was not interested in taking a free book home. However, after reading a book about baseball, the little girl lit up and said her grandfather had been wanting to take her to a game. From then on, Flynn only read her books about baseball. “You never know what books will light that fire,” she said.

Another gratifying part of the job is when Flynn receives positive feedback from the students. “The best part of my day is when we receive notes from kids thanking us,” she said.

Flynn also receives positive feedback from the volunteers, accompanied by photos to show the enjoyment everyone has during the process.

“We are a lean, mean organization,” said Flynn. After hiring someone full-time and reflecting on that growth, she noted that they are volunteer driven.

While donations are important, Flynn said, “We also love new sponsors for schools and volunteer readers.”

Moving forward, Flynn said, “We hope to expand even more and meet the need wherever that need is.”

In addition to the schools, Link to Libraries works to donate books to other nonprofit organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club.

During the COVID-19 restrictions, Link to Libraries had a partnership with the local food bank and was emphasizing the importance of “healthy bodies, healthy minds,” Flynn said.

Link to Libraries also has a “Reading Any Place” program, which provides homeless kids with books through shelters, schools and other organizations.

“The nice thing about us is we get involved with the little people we are helping,” Flynn said.

View full story on The Reminder

Link to Libraries celebrates one millionth book donation at Basketball Hall of Fame

Fri, 05 May 2023 02:42:00 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A major milestone Thursday evening for a western Massachusetts based non-profit.

Link to Libraries hosted their signature fundraising event at the Basketball Hall of Fame. This year’s celebration marked the donation of their one millionth book to a child and school in need.

The presentation of the book was to representatives from Springfield’s Warner school, the first school to receive books from Link to Libraries when it was founded back in 2008.

President, Laurie Flynn tells 22News, “Our whole mission is to get books into hands of kids and schools who needs them, we sponsor schools, we have volunteer readers in classrooms and through those programs we give away books all the time to help kids build home libraries and to help stock school libraries.”

The money raised Thursday evening from ticket sales and auction items will allow Link to Libraries to purchase books for schools and children in need, expand programming, and sustain and grow the organization to meet the increasing demand for their services.

View on WWLP

Link to Libraries celebrating 1 million books to local kids

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 16:21:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – We continue to celebrate libraries this week and today we’re learning about an organization that is separate from your local library but works with them to encourage reading, and will soon achieve an amazing milestone in children’s reading. Joining me now is Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries .

View Video on WWLP

Link to Libraries sponsor event to ease MCAS jitters

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 20:19:00 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Students at the Milton Bradley Elementary School in Springfield had a special visitor Thursday afternoon. The students were getting ready to show what they know in the upcoming MCAS tests.

Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno provided some encouragement to students at the Mulberry Street school at a Link to Libraries sponsored event. The mayor read the students a book about taking a test and spoke to them about overcoming their jitters.

“I get butterflies in my stomach too, and I told them you are going to be a little nervous before the test, but transfer those butterflies in your stomach to adrenaline. I know you can, and will do it. You know what you know, and you can prove it on on the MCAS test that you take,” expressed Sarno.

Students were in high spirits; cheering and waving creative handmade signs covered in colorful words of encouragement. Principal Kristen Hughes also gave a student an award for outstanding performance on last year’s MCAS test.

Link to Libraries has given out more than one million books, many to Springfield public schools.

View article on WWLP

Weiss Consulting Supports Young Readers and Promotes Literacy at Lambert-Lavoie Elementary in Chicopee

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 18:00:00 GMT

CHICOPEE, MA – February 2, 2023 – Link to Libraries announced that Weiss Consulting of Longmeadow, MA is supporting literacy at Lambert-Lavoie Elementary in Chicopee through the Link to Libraries Community Book Link sponsor program. The occasion was marked with a ceremony in the school library where Amy Anderlonis, Executive Vice President of Link to Libraries, presented a plaque commemorating the sponsorship to Anne Weiss, owner of Weiss Consulting. A classroom of 5 ^th grade students along with Principal Daniel Phelan and Librarian Brenda Shepard were in attendance.

"Our reading adventure is about to begin with Anne Weiss and Weiss Consulting!” exclaimed Shepard. “It's such a great privilege for us to be partnering with Weiss Consulting and Link to Libraries to encourage an enthusiasm for reading among our students through read-alouds and additional library books. Our staff and students can't contain their excitement about this new opportunity.”

Link to Libraries Community Book Link sponsorship program is designed to help ensure that underserved and underfunded school libraries have the books they need to inspire young readers. This program establishes a three-year partnership between a business or family and a local school. Weiss’s sponsorship ensures that there will be a steady stream of approximately 200 new books to Lambert-Lavoie’s school library each year.

“Link to Libraries is thrilled that Weiss Consulting will be sponsoring Lambert-Lavoie Elementary,” said Laurie Flynn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Link to Libraries. “It is because of community partnerships like this that Link to Libraries has been able to donate nearly 1,000,000 books to underserved children and schools across Western Massachusetts. We are so grateful to Weiss Consulting for their generosity and commitment to ensuring that children from all cultural backgrounds have a chance for success through reading.”

Weiss is also excited about the partnership and cannot wait to start reading to the students. Weiss holds a degree from Boston University in Elementary Education with a specialty in Reading Education. Even though her career path took her in a different direction, childhood literacy is still one of her passions.

“Weiss Consulting is proud and honored to be sponsoring Lambert-Lavoie Elementary through the Link to Libraries Community Book Link program,” said Weiss. “Books open doors to opportunities and I am so happy to help fill the shelves of the Lambert-Lavoie school library with new books.”

About Link to Libraries

Link to Libraries is proud to be the largest regional distributor of books to underserved youth across Western Massachusetts. The new books that Link to Libraries provides are gifts that enable children, many of whom have never owned a book before, to begin building a home library. To date, Link to Libraries has donated nearly 1,000,000 new books to local children and school libraries. Link to Libraries sponsors 78 schools in need throughout Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. To learn more about Link to Libraries visit linktolibraries.org

About Weiss Consulting
As a world-class business consultant, executive coach and communications facilitator, Anne Weiss has an extensive background in leadership effectiveness. Her impressive track record of driving breakthrough results is a testament to her unwavering commitment to her clients’ extraordinary performance. To learn more about Weiss Consulting visit anneweissconsulting.com .

These are the gifts to excite the imagination and create a life of success

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 18:52:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – It’s the holiday season and buying gifts is always stressful, especially buying something for younger kids. How about giving them something to let their imagination take them back to the land of dinosaurs or to outer space? Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries, is here with great suggestions that will definitely help the kids in the long run.

Watch Video

Link to Libraries shares importance of reading with your child

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:18:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) - November is National Family Literacy Month. It gives families the opportunity to take some time, learn and read together. That aligns with the mission of Link to Libraries, an organization celebrating its 15th birthday. Here to talk all about it is Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries.

Watch Video

Link to Libraries receives donation from Monson Savings Bank

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 16:08:00 GMT

MONSON, Mass. (WWLP)– Monson Savings Bank (MSB) is celebrating their 150th anniversary by supporting communities they serve with donations to local organizations.

MSB recently presented a $1,500 check to Link to Libraries , a nonprofit organization that distributes new books to the schools and home libraries of children in need.

“Monson Savings Bank is proud to show our support to the wonderful local organization, Link to Libraries,” said Dan Moriarty, President and CEO. “Unfortunately, not all children have access to age appropriate reading materials, Link to Libraries fills this gap. This organization gives our local youth the valuable gift of reading, providing so many children in our communities with access to books. Because of Link to Libraries, children’s literacy and language skills are positively impacted, helping them to find success in their educational and life journeys.”

“We are very appreciative of Monson Savings Bank’s longtime support of Link to Libraries. Monson Savings is an incredible community partner, not only to our organization, but also to many others throughout our community,” said Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries. “Thank you to everyone who voted for Link to Libraries in Monson Savings’ Community Giving Initiative. We are excited to put these funds to good use, purchasing books and distributing them to the children who need them most.”

The donation was made possible through public input. The bank asked local residents to submit votes on which local charitable organizations would benefit from the 2022 Monson Savings Bank Community Giving Initiative.

Below is a list of the 2022 Community Giving Initiative Winners:

View Story on WWLP

Western Mass News: Getting Answers

Sun, 24 Jul 2022 15:31:00 GMT

This week, we’re taking a little break from politics and the news to talk about the importance of reading with Laurie Flynn, the president and CEO of Link to Libraries about the organizations' mission, the importance of reading for children and how you, whether as an individual or a business, can help.

Watch the video

Western Mass News

Hoist a Pint of Cool Cats to Support Link to Libraries

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:30:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – Link to Libraries has partnered with both White Lion Brewing and Wellfleet to create a special summer shandy and will be releasing it at a fundraiser to support Link to Libraries Tuesday June 21st. Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries, Ray Berry, Owner of White Lion Brewing, and Drew Digiorgio, from Well fleet, discuss the fundraiser and importance of the Link to Libraries mission.

Watch video on Mass Appeal

How to keep kids reading during summer vacation

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 19:49:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – Getting kids to enjoy reading is important but can be a difficult task. Just like for adults they need to find the right book for them. Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries, talks about some ways to get your kids reading this summer.

View on Mass Appeal

Become a volunteer reader with Link to Libraries

Thu, 21 Apr 2022 18:02:00 GMT

(Mass Appeal) – One hour each month is all it takes to make a dramatic difference in a child’s life. Here now is Link to Libraries President, Laurie Flynn, to explain how.

Watch video on Mass Appeal

A Gift Idea to Help Change the Life of a Youngster

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 16:05:00 GMT

Reading is such an important life skill that, no matter the age of people on your gift giving list, books and other reading materials are not only a great gift, but they can literally change someone’s life. Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries is here with her ideas about books as gifts.

Mass Appeal

National Literacy Month

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:22:00 GMT

September is both National Literacy Month and Library Card Sign Up Month, and learning to read proficiently is a child’s best chance for success in school and in life. So, there is no better way to celebrate than by heading to your local library. Laurie Flynn, President of the non-profit group Link to Libraries is with us to talk about it.

This video originally aired on Mass Appeal .

Reduce Back to School Anxiety by Reading!

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 17:02:00 GMT

It is back to school time and it’s common for some children to have anxiety about starting school, especially this year. Laurie Flynn, President and CEO of Link to Libraries is here to tell us how books can be used as tools to help children and families cope with the back to school fears.

Video originally aired on Mass Appeal .

Summer of Excitement Promotion from Berkshire Bank Foundation: Link to Libraries wins $1000 award

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 17:05:08 GMT

Berkshire Bank Foundation
Pioneer Valley, MA

Special announcement from the Foundation:
We are excited to announce the winners of Berkshire Bank Foundation's Summer of Excitement $25,000 Giveaway. Our $5,000 regional winners include: Berkshire County, MA: Berkshire Choral Festival, Pioneer Valley, MA: Springfield Technical Community College, New York: Empire State Youth Orchestra, Inc. (ESYO), and Vermont: Casting for Recovery. Our $1,000 area drawing winners include: Berkshire County, MA: Berkshire Dream Center, Pioneer Valley, MA: Link To Libraries, Inc., Capital District New York: Historic Albany Foundation, Central New York: Humane Society of Rome, and Vermont: Rutland County Humane Society.

* * *

Link to Libraries Co-founders Susan Jaye-Kaplan and Janet M. Crimmins thank all of the wonderful people who voted for Link to Libraries on the Facebook Summer Give Away for Berkshire Bank Foundation. Without your support and vote we would not have received this grant. Thank you on behalf of the many boys and girls who will be receiving new books to own and to build their own home library this fall.

Local family lends a hand to Link to Libraries

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 13:00:00 GMT

Link to Libraries is a Western Massachusetts-based charity that accepts donations of new books and distributes them to local children and school libraries. Laurie Flynn, president and CEO, said in the 10 years since its inception, Link to Libraries has donated almost 600,000 new books.

Read the full story
_{This story was originally published in the Reminder by Sarah Heinonen}

Celebrating national poetry month with Link to Libraries

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:00:00 GMT

_{by:

Ashley Kohl

| Mass Appeal}

April is National Poetry Month, and Link to Libraries wants to encourage both youth and adults to bring poetry into their lives.

Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries joins us to share more.

This story was originally published in Mass Appeal.

Read aloud tips for Dr. Seuss’s birthday

Fri, 01 Mar 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Laurie Flynn, President of Link to Libraries, brought Mass Appeal to a local Springfield classroom to read “The Lorax,” and then gave us tips in studio for reading to our children each night.

This story was originally published in Mass Appeal.

Local Non-Profit Sheds Light on Importance of Reading Through Family Fun Day

Thu, 14 Feb 2019 14:00:00 GMT

Link to Libraries is helping spread the word as to why reading is so important to children through their first-annual Family Fun Day.

Read the full story
_{This story was originally published in Western Mass News}

Big Y Helps Fund Books in Berkshires

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 13:00:00 GMT

Book donations

As the result of a partnership with Big Y, a family-owned food retail company with stores across Western Massachusetts, schools in Berkshire County received 1,000 new books for school and classroom libraries. The six elementary schools benefiting from this generous donation included Silvio O. Conte Community School, Morningside Community School and Crosby Elementary in Pittsfield and Brayton Elementary, Greylock Elementary and Colegrove Park Elementary in North Adams.

"Like schools in the Greater Springfield area, Berkshire County faces challenges increasing reading proficiency at the elementary level. That is why it has long been a goal of ours to expand our programming to towns like Pittsfield and North Adams," said Laurie Flynn, president & CEO of Link to Libraries. "Link to Libraries is incredibly fortunate to have a partner like Big Y that recognizes the life-changing impact books can have on the lives of underserved children. We are grateful for this generous donation. We hope that other local businesses and volunteer readers will consider joining our effort to get books into the hands of children who need them in Berkshire County."

Principal Carolyn Wallace from Brayton Elementary School in North Adams said Big Y and Link to Libraries are "important community partners" for the school. "Students get excited about all of the new books in our library, but the personal connections that happen when Big Y employees visit our classrooms as readers, and the books they give to the students to take home for their home libraries, are priceless. Their message to our students is clear, reading matters," she said.

Link to Libraries relies on three signature programs to inspire young readers, increase children's access to books and enhance the language and literacy skills of children of all cultural backgrounds. Link to Libraries is actively seeking out sponsors and volunteers in Berkshire County to participate in each of these efforts.

First, the Business Book Link Program pairs a local business with a school in need, providing 400 new books to their library each year. As a part of this three-year partnership, employees are also offered the opportunity to participate as classroom readers once a month over the course of the school year. Second, the Read Aloud Program connects volunteer readers with third- and fourth-grade classrooms. Readers are given a set of books from which to read, as well as new books for students to keep at the end of each monthly visit. And third, through the Reading Any Place Program, Link to Libraries collaborates with local agencies, schools and other nonprofits to provide new books to homeless children from birth through grade seven. For information on how to join the Link to Libraries team, contact Laurie Flynn by email or by phone at 413-654-7241.

https://www.iberkshires.com/story/58706/Biz-Briefs-Big-Y-Helps-Fund-Books-for-North-Adams-Pittsfield-Elementary-Schools.html

United Way of Pioneer Valley: Backpack and School Supply Drive to Benefit Area Homeless Children

Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:13:08 GMT

United Way of Pioneer Valley
Pioneer Valley, MA

United Way of Pioneer Valley, Peter Pan Bus Lines and Link to Libraries, Inc. have joined forces for its inaugural Stuff the Bus campaign. The campaign, co-chaired by Peter A. and Melissa Picknelly, will run August 16 - 21 and will solicit donations of backpacks and school supplies to be distributed to homeless children in Springfield, Holyoke and West Springfield.

"There are over 2,000 children in grades K-8 in the area who will start the school year without the most basic supplies needed for academic success," said Peter A. Picknelly, campaign co-chair and president and chief executive officer for Peter Pan Bus Lines. "It is crucial that these children have the tools they need to start the school year on the right foot and to help them achieve their intellectual potential. We hope that people will be generous with their donations so that we can provide a backpack of supplies for each of these at-risk students."

Jewish Ledger: Teens share 'Link to Libraries'

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:11:56 GMT

By Stacey Dresner
Jewish Ledger

Stephen Freyman, 15, loves to read. The teen from Longmeadow especially loves spy novels.

"I read all the time. I read really late last night and fell asleep reading," he said.

Stephen, a freshman at Longmeadow High School, now shares this love of books with others through the organization

"Link to Libraries," a non-profit organization founded by Susan Jaye-Kaplan in 2008.

Links to Libraries collects new and gently used books for schools and other non-profit organizations. When she was starting the organization, Kaplan, a running buddy of Stephen's mother Ellen Freyman, asked whether Stephen, who she knew was computer savvy, could help her to create a website.

Stephen did create the website and continues to maintain the website today. "But it became a lot more than that," Stephen explained.

He became a member of Link to Libraries' advisory board, attending meetings during the organization's planning stages. Once a month he goes to the Hadley warehouse where all of the Link to Libraries books are stored and helps label the books and load them up for delivery.

Stephen is one of several local youths who are involved in Link to Libraries.

Kieran Summers, a seventh grader in Longmeadow works on the Link to Libraries website with Stephen, handling graphic design.

"My participating in Link to Libraries helps children to have the reading opportunities that I had growing up," Kieran said.

"I really love reading, and seeing the little kids waiting for their books is really amazing. Knowing that they don't have this chance at home is sad, but at least we can help in their school or club."

Daniel Fein of Longmeadow got involved with Link to Libraries in January 2009 when he was looking for a meaningful mitzvah project for his May 2009 Bar Mitzvah.

"My mom saw several newspaper articles about Link to Libraries...and what they do for kids locally by bringing them new books to read," Daniel explained. "I have always loved to read, since I was a little kid, and in fact my Bar Mitzvah 'theme' revolved around books. Each table had a book centerpiece. We gave out leather bookmarks to all adult guests and I gave book lights to the kids."

Daniel's Bar Mitzvah guests brought books from a Link to Libraries list which were donated to the organization. He also arranged for a donation of books from the Scholastic Company that Daniel gave to Link to Libraries. As an advisory board student intern, Daniel goes to the monthly meetings where they put Link to Libraries book stickers inside each book that is to be donated.

Talya Wintman learned about Link to Libraries when she interviewed Kaplan for a Leadership Forum at her school.

"I loved meeting Sue and was inspired by her energy and outgoing personality and all her generous contributions to our community," Talya said. "After I found out about Link to Libraries from Sue, I was eager to take part."

With other students at her school, Talya organized a book drive on Martin Luther King Day that collected more than 600 books.

Now Wintman, as well as her younger sister, Shoshi, volunteer for the organization monthly.

"Link to Libraries feels honored and most fortunate to have young people such as Kieran, Stephen, Dan and Talya on our advisory committee and working alongside the adult board members," said Susan Jaye-Kaplan. "Their energy, motivation, input and hard work is a testament to what the youth of the future will be. Their commitment to community service is a testament to the values instilled by their parents and teachers. We at Link to Libraries always treat our teens with great respect and dignity. The work they do for our organization cannot be expressed in enough words. We truly are honored by their presence."

Link to Libraries Read Aloud Program

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 18:09:37 GMT

Link to Libraries launched a new initiative called the Link to Libraries Read Aloud Program. Designed to make children fall in love with reading, books are read aloud to a preselected grade by one of five Link to Libraries volunteers. These educational professionals bring books to life by reading stories that help students make text-to-life connections. Following the reading, each student receives a free book to take home and share with family and friends. Judging from the enthusiasm of the students and their interaction with our readers, it is obvious the Link to Libraries Read Aloud Program is sparking their interests and fueling their desire to read more. We hope to continue to encourage and stimulate students' appetites for reading through this program.

The Republican's Take on Link to Libraries

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:08:07 GMT

By: Kyle Reyes
Courtesy of The Republican
Springfield, MA

"I touched the Great Wall of China. I learned how to make French bread from a French chef. And as a child, I traveled all over the world - even though I was an orphan." Susan Jaye-Kaplan traversed the globe growing up, all from the comfort of an overstuffed chair at the Boston Public Library. She "saw" sights she'll never forget, all thanks to the power of books.

It's a thrill that she's helping to pass this on to kids across the state. She and Janet M. Crimmins are co-founders of Link to Libraries Inc., a nonprofit organization that collects books for public elementary schools and other groups across the state, then distributes them to kids of all different cultural backgrounds. "We chose multicultural books because we wanted to really target our audience, which is students from different backgrounds," Jaye-Kaplan said. "We also want kids to get that it's not what you're reading but that you're reading."

Their most recent delivery was to fifth-grade students at Talmadge Elementary School in Springfield. Link to Libraries brought dozens of copies of "Grace for President" to hand out to kids. But first they held a "read-aloud" with the students and discussed the story. It wasn't just a typical class for the kids. The book was about two students running for school president. It's a tight race in the story, and, at times, students listening covered their mouths in surprise. One fifth-grader even pumped her arm in victory when the winner was announced at the end of the story.

"These students are just a fraction of those who will benefit," Jaye-Kaplan said. "There are more than 60,000 kids in Massachusetts that don't own any books. Right now, we have more than 50 organizations waiting to be the recipients of books for these kids." The books are all donated by the community and businesses across New England. Link to Libraries then determines which groups and kids will get the books based on need. "The need was the reason for the mission," said Jaye-Kaplan. "We read that schools across the state were having a budget shortage. Libraries are facing shrinking hours. We know we couldn't change those things, but we could still make a difference."

Speaking to the students before the story began, Jaye-Kaplan shared her own story and explained why they were giving the books to the students. "Growing up in that library, I could be and would be anything in life I wanted to be," she said. "We all want the same thing for you." Her hope, and that of the organization, is to spark enthusiasm and understanding - not just in the students, but in the community around them. "These boys and girls are our future," she said. "They aren't my biological children, but they're all our children."

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Volunteers pack books to help Western Mass. kids become
strong readers