Elevating Readers Together is a Salida based nonprofit focused on providing free books to local students once they age out of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which is sponsored by Sunrise Rotary. The organization distributes books through vending machines located at Longfellow Elementary School, Salida Middle School, and Salida High School. In addition to the vending machines, librarians use book carts to share books that do not fit in the machines, and volunteers bring books directly to schools such as Horizons Exploratory Academy, Crest Academy, and the Montessori.
The organization was started by Jesse Aragon Smith. Aragon, her maiden name, is how many in the community know her, including those familiar with her work as a past editor for the Tenderfoot Times and now organizer Deb Bass O´Brien. She created the idea after expressing concern that students were not building home libraries once they aged out of Imagination Library. Research shows that children are more likely to read when books are easily accessible. Mrs. Bass O’Brian said, “Elevating Readers was formed with the goal of keeping books in children’s hands.”
The program has the belief in choice and accessibility. Rather than assigning the same book to every student, Elevating Readers Together allows students to choose books which interest them. Books are theirs to keep, removing the pressure of due dates or the fear of not returning a library book. This model is especially impactful for students who may no longer be able to check out books from school or public libraries.
For the organizer Deb Bass O’Brian, reading has long been a personal passion, shaped early in her life. Her grandmother who regularly took her to the library, played word games, and brought her books helped to spark that connection. Her parents also supported reading by keeping books in the home. From elementary school on, she read frequently, often staying up late under the covers with books like The Babysitters Club.
That personal connection carries into the work of Elevating Readers. One of the most meaningful aspects of the program is simply having books visibly displayed in school buildings. The vending machines spark conversations among students and staff and normalize the presence of books in everyday school spaces.
At the high school level, the program also serves as an alternative to screen time. Even short moments spent reading instead of using phones can make a difference. The hope is that having books readily available encourages students to pick them up, even briefly.
Selecting books for different age groups remains challenging. While there is an effort to stay informed about popular authors and trends for middle and high school readers, those trends are not always widely known by students or appropriate. Collaboration with educators has helped guide book selection, including requests for specific genres such as memoirs, adventure stories, and other categories. The collection aims to balance young adult titles with books that reflect students’ maturity, including practical how-to books, classics, and romance novels.
Social media once played a major role in discovering new authors and trends, particularly through connections with librarians, teachers, and writers. However, those networks have become harder to navigate, making it more difficult to stay connected to what is current and popular.
While the organizer is pleased with the overall model of Elevating Readers, she hopes to see increased engagement at the high school. Some challenges remain, including limited awareness among teachers and competing demands on staff time. Efforts are underway to build understanding of the program, with support from school staff who have already been involved.
Looking ahead, the focus remains on maintaining consistent access to books and expanding support where possible. The organization is backed by a diverse group of supporters, including parents, former parents of students, educators, and community members who simply value reading.
An additional idea explored in the past involved providing Kindles to high school students, particularly those preparing for college or life after graduation. Devices could offer long-term access to books through programs like Libby, including audiobooks. However, the cost of the devices and the need for dedicated funding have made the project difficult to pursue.
Despite these challenges, the mission remains simple, to get books into the hands of students and support reading in whatever form works best for them.
