Medfield Together's New LIL At Park Street Books & Toys

Local Business and Residents Team Up For Medfield Together’s Little Inclusive Library Initiative

Medfield Together is excited to announce the installment of their second Little Inclusive Library (LIL).

These libraries contain mostly “own voices” books, which feature underrepresented characters written by authors who share the same marginalized identities.

The books stocked in this LIL, built by a Medfield family, include themes of anti-bias/anti-racism, diverse characters, social emotional learning, critical thinking, activism, community building, and more. It is located at Park Street Books & Toys in Medfield.

“Our children feel empowered when they see themselves in the pages of a book. Our children also benefit when they read and learn about diverse life experiences,” says Jim James, owner of Park Street Books. “Inclusive books help us all work toward kindness, empathy, and justice. We live in a big diverse world. Let’s celebrate it!”

Some of the titles currently in the Park Street Books LIL are: Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, Before She Was Harriet by Lisa Cline-Ransome, My Sister Daisy by Adria Karlsson, and Change Sings by Amanda Gorman.

This particular library was built, and the books were donated, by the Fink Family. Rick Fink, a stay-at-home dad of two children and a podcaster, says he wants to encourage more unity and community spirit.

“This town needs a mindset adjustment. Rather than focusing on our differences, why aren’t we focusing on what we can agree on?” says Fink. “I like all books, especially the ones in the hands of children. I also like to build things with wood. This was a very easy decision.”

“It is important to create connections and encourage dialogue within our community,” says Medfield Together Steering Committee member Lauren Zembron. “We are proud of the connection we’ve forged between Jim, Rick, and our organization, and look forward to more community partnerships in the future.”

Books recommended for the Little Inclusive Libraries can be found via this link: https://bookshop.org/shop/medfieldtogether, and those who would like to support this initiative can purchase books from Park Street Books & Toys (by visiting 504 Main Street in Medfield, by calling 508-242-3083, or via their website www.parkstreetbooks.com).