The Park Literacy Project was born from a simple belief: that every child deserves to discover the joy of reading, and that no zip code should determine whether that happens.

We grew out of Park Books, an independent bookstore with deep roots in Maryland. For years, our stores have been vibrant community gathering spaces, hosting more than 200 events each year, partnering with local libraries and schools across Anne Arundel, Carroll, and Howard Counties, and running the LitCoLab, a literacy center that provides hands-on, evidence-based reading instruction to families across the region. We have seen firsthand what happens when a child finds the right book at the right moment — and we have built our work around making that moment possible for every child, not just some.

The Park Literacy Project is the next chapter of that story. As a nonprofit, we exist to extend our reach– to bring evidence-based literacy programming, meaningful author experiences, and a genuine love of reading to every child in every community we serve, regardless of background or circumstance. Our work spans three pillars: providing direct literacy instruction through the LitCoLab to those who need it, engaging author events and bookfairs at underserved Maryland schools.

Research tells us that literacy flourishes when the full conditions for it are in place. That means access to an abundance of interesting books. It means literacy-rich environments filled not just with books, but acting as a third space for community gathering and shared reading. It means growing experiences that will support developing a larger vocabulary and varied background knowledge. It means fostering a genuine love of reading and making learning new things feel joyful rather than burdensome. And it means creating space for conversation, read-alouds, and the kind of meaningful social interaction that deepens understanding and builds community around books. (National Center on Improving Literacy) These are not aspirational extras — they are the conditions we work to create every single day, for every family we serve.

We believe engaged readers become curious thinkers, confident learners, and connected community members. We believe literacy is not a privilege — it is a foundation. And we believe the work of building readers belongs to all of us.

Engaging every reader. Empowering every community.