Enactus engages in entrepreneurship through Little Free Libraries
Carthage students in the Enactus program sell, build, and fill Little Free Libraries for local businesses to help improve literacy rates.
Enactus is an international organization that engages the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. Carthage’s chapter fosters a program called DiversiReads, which promotes inclusivity and unity through literacy and bridging racial divides.
DiversiReads addresses these issues in multiple ways, hosting read-alouds in Kenosha area elementary schools and purchasing book bundles to donate to existing Little Free Libraries (LFLs) in the community. The group’s newest initiative will work with businesses to help create their own LFL on their property and throughout the Kenosha community.
Jillian Arbeiter ’23, president of Enactus at Carthage, praises the project as a way to remove obstacles to literacy in the community. LFLs extend the benefits of public libraries to all ends of the community, allowing children outside of walking distance of the library to find free, diverse books closer to home.
Jillian describes the program’s value of diversity: “Regardless of what a child looks like, when they open a book, they should be represented and able to see themselves.”
The Enactus team is looking for local businesses interested in investing in their own LFL to extend the reach of the DiversiReads project throughout the Kenosha area. If your business is interested, please get in touch with enactus@carthage.edu for more information.