I am raising money to build a robust classroom library to surround my students with as much possibility and wonder as I can.

I have always loved libraries. My family moved around several times when I was young, and one constant, comfortable place I found in each new town we moved to was the local library. 

I believe that surrounding myself with books, and the endless possibilities and adventures they represent, fostered my lifelong love of reading.

As an English teacher at a small, local private school, I want to provide a similar experience for my students. Classrooms are often such sterile places, but books can engender an atmosphere of curiosity and expectation.

This is why I believe a classroom library is so essential.

This is more than just idealism from a romantic English teacher. Data from standardized testing suggests that simply reading 20 minutes a day can increase a student’s likelihood of scoring in the 70th percentile or higher on the SATs. Reading is one of the best ways students can prepare for future success in the world.

Research also suggests that students need to be surrounded by a critical mass of around one to two thousand high-interest reading materials to spark their engagement and appeal to the broad range of interests they represent. Thus, my goal is ten thousand dollars, figuring about ten dollars for each book in a library of about one thousand enticing books. If this sounds exorbitant, consider that it includes such things as shipping costs, a classroom dictionary set, and storage containers.