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A Street Librarian’s Quest to Bring Books to Everyone | Storybook Maze | TED

As a self-proclaimed radical street librarian, Storybook Maze makes books appear where they’re scarce. Through initiatives like free, public book vending machines and street corner story times, she eliminates book deserts — or areas with limited access to literature — by making books accessible for children in underserved communities. (And in case you’re wondering, she…

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As a self-proclaimed radical street librarian, Storybook Maze makes books appear where they’re scarce. Through initiatives like free, public book vending machines and street corner story times, she eliminates book deserts — or areas with limited access to literature — by making books accessible for children in underserved communities. (And in case you’re wondering, she shares how you can become a radical street librarian, too.)

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76 Comments

76 Comments

  1. @Keila-d4m

    June 28, 2024 at 7:01 am

    This community never fails to inspire me. There’s so much passion and intellect in every exchange.💖

  2. @TashapeshapeTah

    June 28, 2024 at 7:02 am

    “We dont have book at home” 😢

    • @vishnukanhan8809

      June 28, 2024 at 7:38 am

      You can download pdf of the book from Google.

  3. @mibo747

    June 28, 2024 at 7:04 am

    ? 🙂 books never stolen in shops lootings, I don’t see a problem

  4. @KhalidBaloxh-n6u

    June 28, 2024 at 7:07 am

    Let’s have a topic of baloch speakers

  5. @thenatureways

    June 28, 2024 at 7:10 am

  6. @itzhexen0

    June 28, 2024 at 7:13 am

    Books have been free for years it’s called piracy.

    • @mowgli2071

      June 28, 2024 at 7:19 am

      LibGen!

    • @mowgli2071

      June 28, 2024 at 7:19 am

      Also the audiobook Bay

  7. @KB-TAYLOR

    June 28, 2024 at 7:18 am

    🙄

  8. @mowgli2071

    June 28, 2024 at 7:20 am

    The poor dear has not heard of Library Genesis

    • @darnlibrarian

      June 28, 2024 at 9:59 am

      In many of these areas, digital access is just as limited. Even if they have a computer or phone, the cost or availability of data to download books can be an issue.

    • @mowgli2071

      June 28, 2024 at 10:26 am

      @@darnlibrarian an epub is often going to be about 4mb to maybe 8mb with even more of them in the 230kb to 750kb range. At 14.4kbs (dial up speed) figure 4 minutes a book

  9. @freereadingstuff

    June 28, 2024 at 7:21 am

    Wonderful! How do you fund these programs?

  10. @user-oq1bw3ec8o

    June 28, 2024 at 7:24 am

    The story of the librarian started on a hot day when she grabbed a book to read it to her nieces. Other children pop up and asked her to read other stories. Then she encouraged them to read books at their homes. They told her they had no books at home. She learned about a new concept called ‘book deserts,’ which refers to areas with limited access to books. She then got a job at a library store, but she discovered that the childrenhe came there weren’t the same she met at the stoop. She quit her job and began giving away books on the streets. She shared statistics, revealing that in some areas in Philadelphia there is only one book for every 300 children. She also recounted stories of people giving away books for free in other areas using mules and horses, even in harsh weather conditions like snow. In the end, she advised the audience on how to start this concept, give away books, and stay in touch with neighbors to understand their needs better.”

    I hope these corrections help clarify the text! Let me know if you need further assistance.

  11. @soakingbook

    June 28, 2024 at 7:42 am

    Difficult to be a librarian when everyone is functionally illiterate.

  12. @listerinr

    June 28, 2024 at 7:44 am

    According to the Governer of NY, the speakers people don’t even know what computers are lol

  13. @verotsering3476

    June 28, 2024 at 7:50 am

    🥰🙏👏

  14. @AllertonSlayden

    June 28, 2024 at 7:55 am

    Great video, imagine you u work for 40yrs to have $1M in your retirement, meanwhile some people are putting just $10K into trading from just a few months ago and now they are multimillionaires

    • @CharlesAlfie

      June 28, 2024 at 7:56 am

      Wow, that is huge, how do you earn that much a month? I am 37 years old and have been looking for ways to be successful, please how??

    • @AllertonSlayden

      June 28, 2024 at 7:57 am

      I thank Laura Jennifer Reeves who has always been there to help me with detailed analysis and recommendations that I would not have had access to otherwise.

    • @user-th2uq9kt6w

      June 28, 2024 at 7:58 am

      YES! That is exactly her name (Laura Jennifer Reeves). I saw her interview on CNN News and so many people highly recommended her and her trading skills❤️

    • @Richard-oscar

      June 28, 2024 at 8:00 am

      ​After raising 325k from trading with her, I bought a new house and car here in the states and also paid for my son’s (Oscar) surgery, Glory be to God. Shalom

    • @suvarnapatil9307

      June 28, 2024 at 8:01 am

      This sounds so good and I would love to be a part of it, is there a way to talk to her?

  15. @melissa8447

    June 28, 2024 at 7:56 am

    I live in a rural community and our library does a bookmobile. They have a small selection on the bus but you can order what you want and they’ll bring in to a local location twice a month. So cool!

  16. @catd8396

    June 28, 2024 at 8:07 am

    Thank you for what you are doing for children – it’s wonderful!

    I would love to share some gently used books to you. I’m about an hour away. Will send you a message!

  17. @devonkitto194

    June 28, 2024 at 8:44 am

    Love this!

  18. @samferrara1150

    June 28, 2024 at 9:12 am

    As a fellow librarian, thank you for your service 😊

  19. @chocomalk

    June 28, 2024 at 9:23 am

    A blueprint on how to change the world. Be the change you want to see in the world, don;t protest or complain, just do it.

    • @Polza-sd1sm

      June 28, 2024 at 1:38 pm

      Absolutely ! 💯

  20. @kiaraaleese4704

    June 28, 2024 at 9:32 am

    Thank you for your work! May God bless you and this endeavor!!!

  21. @samuelzev4076

    June 28, 2024 at 9:38 am

    Books are composed collections of knowledge and information that everyone should indeed have access to but the problem is that technology has dumbed us down that we don’t read much anymore. Ask any Gen Z kids and they don’t read let alone open a book. They’re becoming illiterate every single year

  22. @dane.6388

    June 28, 2024 at 11:53 am

    What happened to old TED? I remember they used to have great talks with real ideas and not woke story time

    • @bongs1995

      June 28, 2024 at 9:56 pm

      That’s what you got from this?

    • @myparceltape1169

      June 29, 2024 at 3:14 am

      Try reading a book. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

  23. @StoryBookMaze

    June 28, 2024 at 2:02 pm

    Thank you so much for helping me share my story and the legacy of mobile librarians!

    • @JillConnaway

      June 28, 2024 at 8:55 pm

      I ❤ you and what you are doing!!!

    • @kazisaidul8108

      June 29, 2024 at 1:07 pm

      thank you so much dear it’s totally helpful us

    • @kishorkunal5917

      June 29, 2024 at 6:01 pm

      Hello good person,

      I am from India. Just wanted to tell you that we need people like you in this world to make the world understand the value of reading books.

      People like you can show the glint of light to the will of readers.

      Thank you from the deep of my heart.

  24. @kayoniashort8311

    June 28, 2024 at 2:49 pm

    Thank you for your work and hard efforts.

  25. @fossaflute

    June 29, 2024 at 12:49 am

    I used to have a pretty big children’s library with around 300 books. But when we moved abroad I was forced to leave all of these books in my home country because delivery is really expensive. And that’s so pitiful… but I bought an eBook Pocketbook for my daughter so she can read books in her native language. I also read to my kids aloud every evening from my phone. We go to book bazaars as well, buy books in ordinary bookshops, and of course, get them in the school library. Sometimes we read ebooks on the kid’s Internet sites. Yeah, I like books 😃 however what about me I read only eBook, not paper versions

  26. @myparceltape1169

    June 29, 2024 at 3:19 am

    That old African proverb is true for Europeans today.
    Pay attention to what you granny remembers. Then write.

  27. @Happybidr

    June 29, 2024 at 5:43 am

    Great TED talk. I would love to see some other programs devoted to a portion of their existing volunteers to do this. Like AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps. Foundations like the Gates Foundation find themselves with a bunch of money leftover at the end of years where their money in the stock market has grown such that they have trouble spending the percentage of their funds that all foundations are required to spend.

  28. @ellagrady

    June 29, 2024 at 6:04 am

    What an amazing testimony to what one person can do to change the world. I admire your passion to make a difference. Books make a difference in a young person’s life. YOU ROCK.

  29. @CafeMami

    June 29, 2024 at 7:45 am

    TED X you need to post Mikala Peterson.

  30. @BrooklynLilly

    June 29, 2024 at 11:45 am

    ❤️📚📚📚📚❤📚❤❤❤📚❤❤❤📚

  31. @BrooklynLilly

    June 29, 2024 at 11:46 am

    This is awesome; so inspirational.
    🎉🎉🎉🎉🙏🏽📚📚📚🙏🏽

  32. @tominh9357

    June 29, 2024 at 12:13 pm

    is she the Sister Sage in real life?

  33. @VERYPURPLE

    June 29, 2024 at 2:37 pm

    👋🏽Thank you so much for a inspirational powerful TED talk🫶🏾

  34. @Just_us-2

    June 29, 2024 at 3:08 pm

    Bravo 👏🏽 Has that same nervous but clear and well spoken voice as sister Alena 😊❤

  35. @rhondalassiter

    June 29, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    READERS BECOME LEADERS!!! THANK YOU MISS MAZLEE. YOU ARE DOING A GREAT WORK👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

  36. @user-gg7vf7gr8t

    June 29, 2024 at 6:33 pm

    ‘Book deserts’
    I like these concept!
    I’ll share this video to my freinds!

  37. @sharonc3439

    June 29, 2024 at 11:01 pm

    I love everything about this! Radical street librarians ASSEMBLE!

  38. @desireeaguilar7743

    June 29, 2024 at 11:59 pm

    Love it!👏🏼💓📚

  39. @Anonymous-td9iv

    June 30, 2024 at 2:24 am

    She has the same voice as Alena

  40. @lichtm2053

    June 30, 2024 at 5:20 am

    This was one of the most inspirational, heartwarming and eye opening presentations I’ve heard in a long time. Really, thank you so much…Unlike you, I’m very much of a coward. I realize it now when i listen to this. My family isn’t exactly financially stable, so I’m trying to first get a job that provides money first and am in the process of it that i don’t have the courage to risk it and go outside and do this right now. Poverty is a major issue here and i hope more and more people, who can help others like this, do so and help our world grow into a better place. Oh Also, the pack horse library! I never knew about that part of our history! It’s so inspiring and such an amazing legend! Their courage and commitment just like yours! Man, i love all of you guys

  41. @wandagreen4330

    June 30, 2024 at 8:22 am

    Love it!

  42. @ryannetienne2839

    June 30, 2024 at 9:27 am

    Yes yes yes 🙌🏼 love everything about this 🙏🏼🫶🏼

  43. @JonesDi77

    June 30, 2024 at 9:46 am

    My local library saved my life. Unfortunately, years later they moved it elsewhere.

  44. @JonesDi77

    June 30, 2024 at 9:46 am

    Such an awesome TEDtalk.

  45. @asiakashaka8046

    June 30, 2024 at 12:07 pm

  46. @abrahimkazimiian6558

    June 30, 2024 at 1:47 pm

    We have a library in our village in Afghanistan where children and youths borrow books and study. It was build and formed by volunteers. WE NEED more BOOKS📚 to keep them coming to it.

  47. @carlgibbs2127

    June 30, 2024 at 3:20 pm

    Excellent presentation on radical street librarian: books should be available to all communities , no matter their status.

  48. @prettyqueen573

    June 30, 2024 at 9:25 pm

    This is such an amazing story.

  49. @MohuyaMondal-h5c

    July 1, 2024 at 2:26 am

    What a nice video 🤍

  50. @ArtVandelay99

    July 1, 2024 at 4:29 am

    Well the average intellectual quality of these talks certainly took a big hit – but all for a good cause, allegedly…

  51. @NaaAtsweiFilms

    July 1, 2024 at 5:35 am

    Your work is inspiring. God bless you for the effort you’re putting in to raising intentional and intelligent children

  52. @mikidoraha1006

    July 1, 2024 at 6:21 am

    Anyone here i want to learn english as i am going to visit Canada in January month so i need to practice anyone here who would like to practice with me…i am also ready for pay fees

  53. @sweetbadd9852

    July 2, 2024 at 4:46 am

    THE MAZE FAMILY ARE A VERY SMART!!

  54. @tlee1

    July 2, 2024 at 7:00 am

    Unemployment isn’t mainly lack of literacy, but pheno and gender bias.

  55. @ChristineManer

    July 2, 2024 at 5:58 pm

    Wow! This was a good Ted Talk with a good message.

  56. @michalkitainik8710

    July 3, 2024 at 2:26 am

    What is her name?

  57. @debramallard2620

    July 3, 2024 at 12:05 pm

    Awesome ❤ ❤ ❤

  58. @bonarkyles6206

    July 3, 2024 at 3:08 pm

    Thank you for sharing as a teacher you have my support.

  59. @soniib1441

    July 3, 2024 at 5:34 pm

    Congratulations on a successful TED Talk and continued blessings as you undoubtedly acquire your book trolley! 📚 🚎 ❤️💫

  60. @moonbug-lk9tx

    July 6, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶🫶

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