Testimonials
The impact of Access Books is best understood through the people who experience the work firsthand.
Educators, school leaders, community partners, and public servants describe what changes when books arrive, libraries are refurbished, and students are welcomed into spaces designed for reading and belonging. Their reflections speak not only to outcomes, but to how those changes feel—to students, to teachers, and to the broader school community.
Together, these testimonials reflect a shared understanding:
Access to books matters, and when it’s done thoughtfully, the impact lasts.
“I have learned that Access Books is a unique organization, and I applaud the efforts of you and your colleagues. Despite having no full-time paid employees, your organization’s effectiveness is tremendous.
As the representative of the 37th Congressional District, where these schools reside, I am especially grateful. As we both know, Compton has been growing and improving in recent years. Donations from your organization have undoubtedly provided our youth with the building blocks necessary to succeed in their future careers.”
—Laura Richardson, Member of Congress
“As our school staff and community engaged in volunteer work with Access Books, not only did the school strengthen relationships, but it also made a deep impact on the quality of campus life for the students at Miles.
Students arrived at school the following Monday to see beautiful murals and many more books lining the library and classroom shelves. It was a windfall of resources that can only translate into years of establishing lifelong learners.”
—Pamela Robertson, Principal, Miles Avenue Elementary
“Books should be an important part of every child’s life. Unfortunately, not all families have the resources to purchase books—or even the time to read to their children. That is where schools must help make up the difference.
Thanks to your organization, our school’s capacity to meet the needs of our students has grown significantly. By providing a wide variety of books for our library and adding to our classroom collections, teachers can now place books directly into students’ hands and send them home to be enjoyed by their families.”
—Kathi Hannum, Principal, Independence Elementary
“Harrison Elementary has made a commitment to become the highest-performing elementary school in Los Angeles. We have already begun by showing the highest gains in City Terrace; however, our progress is limited by the quality and quantity of reading materials available to our students.
Your donation of 10,000 books directly addressed this need. My students now have access to the books they wanted—but that I was previously unable to provide.”
—Isaias Martinez, Principal, Harrison Elementary
“The entire experience had such a positive effect on everyone present that day. It brought out a true sense of community and warm fellowship.
There is much to be said about the volunteers who gave up their Saturday to support our school. Our success was due to an exceptional group of talented, generous individuals. Everyone at Access Books is to be commended. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to benefit from all that you offer.”
—David Bell, Principal, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
“I’ve thought about how to write a letter that could fully convey my thanks and appreciation for all that Access Books has done for our school—and I’m not sure I’m articulate enough for the task.
Staff members were energized by the experience. Teachers expressed a desire to ‘do this every week.’ The students had a wonderful time creating and interacting. I was so excited by the day that I had a hard time falling asleep that Saturday night—even though I was exhausted.”
—Marion Levine, Principal, Horace Mann Middle School