Reading books provides far too many benefits for us to count, from increasing vocabulary to reducing stress and anxiety.
It can be easy to take these “windows to the world” for granted. If you’ve ever lived in a place where it’s hard to get your hands on books, you might understand why Kaila Boulware Sykes and her husband, Raymond Sykes, decided to open a donation-only shop in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
In 2021, the Sykes family stepped into a bookstore in Ocean County, New Jersey to browse for books for their 2-year-old son, Truth Imanu’el Sykes. Sadly, they did not feel at home in this shop; many patrons stared at them because they were the only people of color in the store. They left feeling unwelcome and dejected, but the experience sparked an idea.
Back in the car, Kaila and Raymond talked about creating a bookstore where everyone feels welcome. A place where people can fulfill their need for literacy in a safe space no matter how much, or how little, they have in the bank. In other words, they wanted to make books available to everyone!
The couple quickly took steps to turn that dream into a reality. By June, they’d opened a donation-based bookstore called Hidden Gems Literary Emporium inside an art gallery in New Brunswick.
On opening day, a line of 500 people stood outside waiting to get a look at the 10,000 donated books they had to offer. The place was an instant success and, before they knew what was happening, they were receiving book donations from all over the world!
“It just snowballed into a huge just library of love,” Kaila explained. “Since then, people have donated over 40,000 books.”
The shop has books for all ages, and it’s entirely stocked and maintained by donations. Sometimes people have no money to give, but they still leave with an armful of books. Other times, people shell out $100 for a single book. The result is exactly what Raymond and Kaila hoped for — a place designed to “reignite” their community’s love for reading.
“We really feel like it’s important for people to have a place where they don’t feel like money is a barrier for them to get books and educational resources for themselves and especially for their 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren,” said Kaila.
Last year, the family took their love of literacy on the road with their first-ever 1,000 Free Book Tour. Hitting the road in their minivan, Raymond and Kaila drove all along the east coast to Florida handing out free puzzles, books, and educational resources everywhere they went.
“The smiles and the excitement that we get from people… it’s hard to describe the way it makes us feel,” she said.
This year, they’re raising money for a new van to serve as a “mobile library!” They’re also continuing to hold free book festivals at area schools and community events. They see their efforts as a way to increase cultural diversity and literacy, not just in their corner of the world, but everywhere they go.
Share Raymond and Kaila’s story to celebrate their innovative and inclusive way to help ensure that books are available to all.
