Little Free Community Resource Library Officially Opens in Wellston
On Thursday, November 20, 2025, Community Impact Network (Network), in partnership with Ready Readers, opened the Little Free Community Resource Library, a first for the City of Wellston.
The opening, commemorated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, brought together many community members to celebrate the addition of a new resource for individuals and families to access within the community.
Ready Readers, a Network member, is one of St. Louis’s biggest organizations dedicated to expanding literacy for young children in the St. Louis area. Their programming includes storytelling, distributing free books to children and the Neighborhood Reading Captains who are residents who take the lead in literacy efforts in their designated communities.
Dionne Peeples-Jones, Normandy Reading Captain, was instrumental in making the Little Free Library in Wellston a reality. When speaking at the ceremony, Peeples-Jones said that she has fond memories of when she got her first book as a child and she is excited that children in Wellston will get that same opportunity, especially since the books offered will be written by authors of color.
“Young people will have the opportunity to see themselves in the books,” said Peeples-Jones.
The philosophy behind the Little Free Library is “take a book, share a book.” For Lauren Campbell, Community Programming Coordinator for Ready Readers in St. Louis, says their motto is to just take the book. “We want families to just take the books so that they can start combating illiteracy by building libraries in their home.”
Nate Griffin, current Mayor of Wellston, emphasized how reading is important and fundamental to education and the Little Free Library is an example of how the community must continue to find ways to support students.
“We have to continue to find innovative ways to educate our kids and our babies, and this is a way of doing that,” said Griffin.
Ailey Pope, Vice President of Service at the Network, echoed the same sentiments, and that the opening goes deeper than the books.
“Today is more than just about the opening of the library. It’s about creating pathways to discover and bring literacy into the hearts of our community,” said Pope. The library is located in front of the Community Impact Network building, located at 1623 Kienlen Avenue. In addition to books being included in the library, it will also include personal care items such as conditioner, toothbrushes and toothpaste and will be available to the community 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To view more photos and video from the Little Free Library Opening, please click below.
For more information about Ready Readers, please visit their website here.
For more information about Little Free Library, please visit their website here.
