BPL Librarian Behind Backpack Drive Named 'Mover And Shaker'

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — A Brooklyn librarian who marshaled a backpack drive to children separated from their families at the border received a prestigious honor.

Jessica Ralli is a 2020 "Mover and Shaker" — an award bestowed by Library Journal to emerging library leaders and innovators, according to a release.

Ralli, coordinator for Brooklyn Public Library's early literacy programs, called herself honored.

"Some of my most inspiring colleagues at BPL have been past Movers and Shakers and I am beyond excited to be a part of this esteemed group. Being recognized as an advocate by my colleagues and peers means a lot to me," she said in a statement. "I feel very fortunate to be able to do the work that I do, and serve the communities we serve, and especially to be so supported by my own institution and the library world at large."

The work that Ralli does is varied.

She organized the library's Big Brooklyn Playdate — a program giving children ages 0 to 3 constructive play opportunities — and the in-person and virtual Ready Set Kindergarten, a family series that encourages early learning practices.

The kindergarten program is supposed by funds from Brooklyn Eagles, the Pinkerton Foundation and New York City Council's First Readers program.

"I want to take a moment to recognize and congratulate Jessica for being honored as a 2020 Mover and Shaker by the Library Journal for her commitment to helping children and their families access books and other materials to help encourage the development of early literacy practices," said city Councilman Stephen Levin, who represents Brooklyn neighborhoods like Boerum Hill and Downtown Brooklyn, in a statement. "This is exactly what City's First Reader's was created to achieve and thanks to people like Jessica, we are seeing great progress and growth among our target audiences of children 0-5 years old and their parents."

Ralli also helped spur Backpacks From Brooklyn, a 2018 drive which sent 400 backpacks stuffed with art materials, books and other resources in English and Spanish to children separated from their families at the border, a release states. She, with help from numerous organizations, did another 350-backpack drive in 2019.

This year, the drive is on hold because of the new coronavirus pandemic, according to a release. She hopes to continue the program in the future with long-term funding, the release states.