Cobb Collaborative submitted the following press release about the opening of two Little Free Libraries:

On March 3, the Cobb Collaborative, the Kiwanis Club of Marietta and the City of Marietta joined community and business leaders to celebrate the official opening of two Little Free Libraries at Victory Park and Kirby Park. The effort was led by Marietta City Councilwoman Cheryl Richardson, who reflected on her lifelong love of reading and emphasized the long-term impact of early literacy. “Children who start on track are more likely to graduate high school and college — and to create the same strong foundation for their own children,” said Richardson, who represents Ward 1.

Richardson was joined by fellow City Council members Joseph Goldstein and M. Carlyle Kent, along with Marietta City Schools Board of Education member Irene Berens, each of whom offered remarks. Representing the Mayor’s Reading Club sponsored by the Georgia Municipal Association and speaking as a longtime literacy advocate, Kent discussed his community-based reading activities and contributed family reading kits to the library at Victory Park.

Debbie McCracken, vice governor of the Georgia District of Kiwanis International, said literacy is a core priority for the civic organization. The Marietta club has been involved for years in local efforts to expand access to books and serves as steward for many Little Free Libraries across the city. Access to books plays an important role in early childhood development, helping children build vocabulary, explore emotions and strengthen comprehension skills. One attendee also emphasized the value of neighborhood access, saying, “It’s going to be huge for children to be able to pick up a book on the way to school or while at the park and have access right in their own neighborhood.”

In addition to serving as the local point of contact for the Get Georgia Reading Campaign, the Cobb Collaborative was recognized in 2025 by the international Little Free Library nonprofit with the Todd H. Bol Award for Outstanding Achievement for its work to build community and increase access to books.

Although these were the first two libraries dedicated this year, they marked the 82nd and 83rd Little Free Libraries the Cobb Collaborative has installed in the community since 2021. “Partnerships are the heart and soul of our work, and collaborating with passionate municipal leaders like Councilwoman Richardson is an honor,” said Cobb Collaborative Executive Director Irene Barton. “Print awareness in terms of knowing what books signify, how we read, how to hold a book, is a tenet of the science of reading, and we are honored to partner with Marietta City Schools and the City of Marietta in a community-wide coalition to improve reading skills for all students.”

For more information on Little Free Libraries, including sponsorship opportunities, contact the Cobb Collaborative at communications@cobbcollaborative.org.

About Cobb Collaborative: Cobb Collaborative is a membership organization of nonprofit organizations, local government, businesses, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, professional organizations, associations and citizens who share ideas, expertise and resources to meet the needs of Cobb County residents. For more information, visit www.cobbcollaborative.org.