Project Second Grade: Reimagining Library Access
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Innovation Synopsis
Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) and Columbus City Schools (CCS), the largest school district in Ohio, are reimagining how young students connect with the public library. This large-scale, district-wide effort embeds an annual library field trip into the second-grade curriculum, serving up to 4,500 students across 75 schools each year. The vision is simple: every child deserves the opportunity to experience the library, regardless of their school or family circumstances. During each visit, students explore the library with staff, learn how it works, receive a large dose of reading inspiration, and select and check out high-interest books using their Success Card (student ID + library card). By removing barriers and making the experience broadly accessible, we are building the foundation for a new generation of lifelong library users and readers.
Challenge/Opportunity
• Library access often depends on circumstances outside a child’s control. A child’s opportunity to experience the library should not be determined by their school, whether a teacher plans a field trip, or if their family can get them there.
• Having a library card does not make a child a library user. A card alone does not ensure a child will visit the library, learn how to use it, or discover books that capture their interest.
• Second grade is a critical time to build reading motivation. Connecting students with high-interest books deepens their relationship with reading as they develop their literacy skills.
• Early library experiences can shape lifelong use and learning. Helping children feel welcome, find books they enjoy, and understand what the library offers builds valuable library habits.
• We saw an opportunity to weave the public library into the fabric of a child’s education, rather than leave the experience to chance.
Key Elements of Innovation
• Embed the public library into the second-grade curriculum. Every CCS second grader can now experience Main Library in person.
• Remove barriers. District-wide coordination and CML-funded busing make access less dependent on school resources, teacher initiative, or family circumstances.
• Inspire reading. Students participate in an engaging, literacy-rich program, discover what the library has for kids, and select books that interest them.
• Turn library access into active library use. Students learn to navigate the library and use their Success Card to check out books to take home.
• Design for scale. A reusable programming kit, donor-supported supplies and book bags, creative scheduling, and cross-team collaboration support consistent delivery across dozens of field trips.
• Shift the public library from available to expected. Rather than waiting for children to find the library, we intentionally build it into their education.
Achieved Outcomes
• Launched in October 2025, the pilot didn't only bring 1,549 students through the doors; it turned them into active library users who checked out an average of three books each, totaling more than 4,000 books. Its success transformed a 26-school pilot into a school district-wide initiative serving up to 4,500 second graders across 75 schools each year.
• Teacher feedback underscored both impact and need. 100% of teacher survey respondents rated the experience Excellent or Very Good, with an average recommendation score of 9.5/10. Several teachers noted that this was many students’ first library visit; another reported that students talked about the experience for the rest of the school year.
• Staff feedback validated the model’s sustainability. Staff praised the ability to deliver a consistent, high-quality experience without reinventing each program and highlighted the collaboration essential to the model’s success.
