Article written by Ainsley Hall and published in The Journal on March 26, 2026, link to article HERE.
Hedgesville High School student Keandrea Cochran partnered with Berkeley County Parks and Recreation to build and maintain Little Library boxes throughout the county. Her goal was to make books accessible to everyone and encourage children’s love of reading.
Cochran first got the idea after the COVID-19 pandemic. When everything closed, including libraries, Cochran realized that many people didn’t have easy access to books. Cochran grew up with a love for reading, which was encouraged by her mother who worked as an English teacher. She knew how important it was to have books, so she started brainstorming ways she could make reading more accessible.
When students started returning to school in-person, Cochran joined a Career Technical Education (CTE) Woodshop class. Her teacher Brad Sensel encouraged students to build their own projects, and he would help them figure it out. Cochran brought her idea of making a Lending Library box where kids could take books and leave some for others to find.
“I thought if I could make some changes, some kids could start learning to read and start enjoying it,” Cochran said. “I wanted to make it more fun and accessible to them because I thought it was important. And, honestly, I was very shocked with how well it did.”
After talking with Joe Burton, executive director of Berkeley County Parks and Recreation, Cochran was able to set up her first box. Soon it was running itself, with many visitors dropping off their own books.
The biggest challenge in building the boxes was learning how to make them weather resistant so the books would be protected. Cochran also wanted to make sure the Little Library was accessible to kids so they could open it without help from an adult. Though she had kids in mind when she first started the project, soon adults started using it too.
Cochran installed one other box and restored an abandoned box, breathing new life into the project. She visits them regularly and keeps a box of books in the back of her car to refill the Little Libraries if they ever get empty. However, they’ve all become self-sufficient. Her busiest box is located by Lambert Pool, where a lot of people walk by as they visit the Berkeley 2000 Recreation Center.
Cochran hopes that when young kids see what she’s accomplished, that will be encouraged to read and know that they can make a difference in the community. And they don’t have to do it alone. Without the help from Sensel and Burton, Cochran wouldn’t have been able to make her idea a reality.
“I’m really hoping someone will see this and think that whatever small idea they have, they can make it bigger,” Cochran said. “It’s always worth attempting. I’ve definitely grown in confidence over the years, especially due to projects like this. With my mentors support, I’ve gone outside my comfort zone and just given my ideas a try."