Community Board 1, which serves the South Bronx neighborhoods of Mott Haven, Melrose and Port Morris, held its first-ever book exchange event on Dec. 6, providing free books to neighbors of all ages.
The board’s Education, Youth and Young Adults Committee set up a table outside the office at Third Avenue and East 156th Street and invited passersby to take any titles they wanted. As the sidewalks bustled with holiday shoppers, several stopped to browse the offerings for themselves or to add to their gift-giving stash.
The selection of books included something for everyone, from classics like Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” and “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told to Alex Haley, to newer, critically acclaimed titles such as Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer.
It also included dictionaries, biographies and options for kids and young adults, such as “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie and “The Witches” by Roald Dahl.
Inside the office, board members added more books to the inventory and regularly replenished the selection outside.
Joyce Pulphus, committee member and high school principal, said CB1 has already received several book donations, including from a local school library that donated more than 200. Through the giveaway itself and the outreach involved in making it happen, “We’re looking to build community,” she said.
After a successful launch, the board hopes to expand the book exchange in 2026. They plan to collaborate with the Third Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) to bring the event to Roberto Clemente Plaza, an even busier area with constant foot traffic.
As more residents become aware of the event, the board also invites them to bring their own books to exchange for new ones.
Teacher and CB1 member Christina Cover said a plague of “chronic disinvestment” has resulted in many Bronx kids reading below grade level. “This is one step we can take towards promoting literacy in the Bronx,” she said.
The percentage of New York City students meeting the state’s bar for English Language Arts proficiency increased by 7.2 points since 2024, from 49% to 56%, according to the most recent state data —but Black and Latino students lag behind their white and Asian peers by double-digit margins.
Cover said she hopes the book exchange will help instill a love of reading in people of all ages, while demonstrating that the community board —which many people are not even aware of — is actively caring for its residents.
“We’re trying to bring something positive and free of cost,” Cover said. “Community boards matter, and the things we do locally make a difference.”
The book exchange is tentatively scheduled for the first and third Saturdays of each month, with the next dates being Dec. 20 and Jan. 3. CB1 is also accepting donations of gently-used books (no monetary donations) at its office at 3024 Third Ave.
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
