Scout’s library project is soaring success

Project results in new reading opportunities for local youngsters

By: Stephanie Brown
   JAMESBURG — The students at the John F. Kennedy School will have a newly organized library with more than a thousand additional books at their disposal this year thanks to Boy Scout Brian Somers.
   The 17-year-old borough resident collected almost 2,000 books and spent the whole summer labeling and reshelving all the materials in the library as part of his Eagle Scout project.
   "I wanted to do something that would benefit Jamesburg and would continue to benefit the town for years to come," he said Tuesday.
   Brian said he came up with the idea in December when he and his younger brother came across some old children’s books while cleaning out their bedroom.
   "The books were still in good condition and I didn’t want to just throw them out, so it got me thinking," he said. "That was how the idea began and it all kind of just played out from there."
   In May, Brian began a book drive. He set up drop-off points at JFK, Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School, and Borough Hall.
   By the end of the school year he had collected about 1,500 books.
   "I really didn’t expect to get that much," he said. "The first couple of days got off to a rough start, but then I just left the boxes. I would go there every couple of days and the boxes would be overflowing."
   The next step was to categorize all the donated books, which wasn’t as daunting of a task he thought it would be, especially with his friends and family lending a hand.
   "A couple of people didn’t think I would be able to get it done because it was such a big project, but we made it fun and it didn’t always feel like work," he said. "I knew once it was over, I’d feel good about it because I was able to help out in such a great way."
   Brian and his crew placed the books into groups according to reading level, and then in alphabetical order.
   Finally, Brian made sure that all of the library’s books received sign-out cards and were placed correctly on the shelves according to the Dewey Decimal System. Each title was entered into a master list, which was given to the teachers.
   The JFK library has been without a full-time librarian for three years. During that time, volunteers from the community have offered their services to keep the library open for the JFK students.
   Principal Al Perno said the library’s volunteers would have a much easier time managing the facility now that Brian has made it more user-friendly.
   "His project was particularly handy because the volunteers are not trained librarians," said Mr. Perno. "It was an ambitious project, and I was really impressed with his ability to see it through."
   Even after the book drive was over, Brian said he still received donations. Although he wasn’t able to place all of those books in the library, he said he gave them to teachers to use in their classrooms.
   "The best thing I got out of this was that I was able to help out the students," he said. "I know that all the students would be able to benefit from this and it will make them happy because most of the books are new."
   With the completion of his Eagle Scout project, Brian will soon be leaving the Scouts.
   As he is closing one chapter of his life and beginning a new one as a senior in high school, Brian said he feels that the Scouts have prepared him for adulthood.
   "Once you become an Eagle Scout, you become a role model and are there more to guide the younger kids," he said. "Everything I learned in Boy Scouts, I’ll be passing on. I’m looking forward to that."