BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — A new free library is coming to low-income communities to help increase literacy in Bakersfield.
On August 29, the Housing and Opportunity Foundation announced the new "Bowers Book Depot" free library, designed to directly serve those living in low-income public housing units.
The foundation says nearly 43 percent of adults living in poverty have low literacy levels, and children who are not reading proficiently by fourth grade are four times less likely to graduate from high school. This new program is set to address those statistics.
The announcement was made at Dignity Health's Outreach Center on South Robinson Street.
