For some Syracuse children, a trip to the barbershop now comes with something extra: a good book. That was the idea behind Monday evening’s launch of Barbershop Books, a nationally recognized, child-centered literacy program that is bringing books and a love of reading into local barbershops and salons.
During a kickoff celebration at Betts Branch Library, children received haircuts while enjoying books and reading - bringing to life a program designed to make reading a fun and natural part of everyday life.
Barbershop Books Founder and Executive Director Alvin Irby said the idea began with a simple observation during a haircut. Irby was sitting in a New York City barbershop when one of his students walked into the shop and spent 10 or 15 minutes staring out the window. “I was sitting there looking at him and thinking, ‘He should be practicing his reading right now,’” Irby recalled. “I wished I had a children’s book to give him, but I didn’t.”
That experience inspired Irby to begin putting children’s books in barbershops. What started in New York City has grown into a national program serving children in 20 states and 40 cities. Now, Barbershop Books is taking root in Syracuse through a series of community partnerships known as “literacy bubbles.” Each bubble connects a local barbershop or salon with a nearby library and elementary school, creating multiple community touchpoints where children can discover and enjoy reading.
The Syracuse literacy bubbles include:
- Visions Salon & Spa + Mundy Library + Delaware Elementary School
- Collins Barber & Beauty Shop + Soule Library + H.W. Smith Elementary School
- Cut From A Different Cloth Barber Shop + Betts Branch Library + Van Duyn Elementary School
- Madison Hands Hair Salon + Betts Branch Library + Van Duyn Elementary School
The Syracuse initiative brings together education, community and business partners around a shared goal: helping children see reading not simply as schoolwork, but as something they can enjoy anywhere.
Onondaga Community College is playing a key role in the effort. The Syracuse initiative was coordinated by Dr. Reginald T. Braggs, OCC’s Executive Director of CNY Partnerships and the Collegiate Foster Care Program. OCC is the first higher education institution in the nation to partner with Barbershop Books.
Monday’s celebration brought together community leaders and partners, including Irby, Onondaga County Public Library Executive Director Amanda Perrine, OCC President Dr. Warren Hilton, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Mayor Sharon Owens, Syracuse City School District Superintendent Pamela Odom, and Jamal Finch of Cut From A Different Cloth Barber Shop.
The Syracuse Barbershop Books initiative is supported by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield through a Health Equity Innovation Award, The Community Foundation, National Grid, and Dreissig Apparel.
