WARREN COUNTY Stormwater has launched a literacy initiative to teach children about water conservation and environmental stewardship as part of its commitment to public education and outreach.
Outreach Manager Andrea Strange said the program places Little Free Libraries in county parks, providing children with free books focused on environmental awareness.
The program began in late 2023, inspired by a similar effort in Northern Kentucky.
Initially, Warren County Stormwater distributed books at community outreach events, where children who engaged in activities about pollution prevention were rewarded with a book.
With the success of this effort, the organization decided to expand its reach by installing Little Free Libraries in local parks, making books more accessible to families who might not attend such events.
“We decided to put the Little Libraries in the communities where kids are,” Strange said. “Not everybody’s parent has the ability to bring them to special events on the weekends and things like that, so this allows us to reach way further out into the community and to different community groups without them having to go to any extra steps other than going to a county park.”
The first libraries were installed in late 2023, starting with two locations. After seeing how well they were received, three more were added earlier this year. The five locations now span the county, including Basil Griffin Park Story Trail, Browning Park Playground, Ephram White Park Playground, Jennings Creek Greenway, and Phil Moore Park Playground.
Every month, Warren County Stormwater stocks the libraries with about 100 books, promoting awareness of stormwater management, pollution prevention, and environmental responsibility.
Many of the books focus on water science, the water cycle, and personal responsibility for environmental care. Titles include “Creek Critters,” which teaches children about aquatic life and water quality, and “Pout-Pout Fish Cleans Up the Ocean,” which teaches the importance of keeping waterways clean. Other selections include tree identification books and interactive guides that help children engage with their natural surroundings.
Strange said the Jennings Creek location has been especially popular, with residents actively using the library to exchange books with their neighbors.
In addition to the physical libraries, Warren County Stormwater has created an online resource featuring video read-alouds of the books so children without a reading companion at home can still benefit from the program.
Strange has a goal of using the educational books to help kids and parents understand the importance of environmental stewardship beyond just being told to keep water clean.
“Hopefully, with these books, instead of us just saying, ‘Keep our water clean,’ they can see that we keep our water clean for our personal health, and we keep our water clean to protect our environment,” she said.
Strange believes that people need to understand the deeper reasons behind environmental protection in order for the message to truly resonate.
“Until people really see beyond them- selves and can start to see the importance of taking care of the community as a whole and protecting our resources as a whole, the message doesn’t hit until you really understand their ‘why.’” GN
