BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — A program benefiting child literacy on Bloomington’s west side was recently revitalized through efforts from members of the Illinois Wesleyan University community.
The West Bloomington Revitalization Project (WBRP) created the Barbers with Books program in 2019, offering young readers the chance to read a book in the barbershop chair while receiving a free haircut. The original idea was led and launched by alumna Mary Yount '83 and retired IWU librarian Karen Schmidt, who manages the WBRP Book Bike at Bloomington events.
“Research consistently tells us that if children are not reading well by the third or fourth grade, it can affect the trajectory of their education and economic potential as they grow up and become adults,” said Schmidt, pointing out that 68% of fourth graders are reading below proficiency levels in America, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Several local barbershops and salons participated in Barbers with Books when it was first launched, but arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic created logistical problems and it was put on hold until this year.
WBRP teamed up with the owner of Bloomington-Normal Barber College, Cassius Crittendon, and IWU’s Action Research Center seminar led by Deborah Halperin to revive the program. Halperin describes the course as a project-based experience in partnership between IWU and WBRP. Students design and implement a mission-driven project that benefits the neighborhoods on Bloomington’s west side.
“The purpose of the seminar is to give students a chance to do something in the community. They get to be creative and resourceful and feel they are a part of something meaningful. The Action Research Center has been fortunate to launch numerous community initiatives over the last 20 years. We are always looking for projects that have the win-win-win outcome,” said Halperin.
Senior sociology major Bryce Hess selected the Barbers with Books program as his lead project in Halperin’s class for the spring 2024 semester. He interviewed community stakeholders, researched literacy and reading intervention strategies, designed a bookmark, built and installed bookshelves at the barber college and purchased age-appropriate books to stock the shelves.
“A barbershop is a known area that brings together community and engagement where people can come to talk,” said Hess. “It can also be a setting to provide educational opportunities where kids can be encouraged to read and study.”
Hess said the project revealed to him the importance of building genuine relationships and how networking can lead to success.
“It was comforting and excellent to work with people that were understanding and respected my ideas while
sharing their thoughts that all contributed to us working towards the same goals. I saw the respect that we all had for each other when we came together to discuss our ideas and solutions,” he said.
Those connections and actions help create a better community, said Halperin, especially with neighborhood advocates like Schmidt.
“The community has so many wonderful people willing to help, but you need someone like Karen to get the stars to align in order to truly get things done,” said Halperin. “IWU is lucky to have strong community partnerships. There is real magic when you combine student engagement, the opportunity for social change and generous leaders like Cassius, Mary and Karen.”
Crittendon offers low-cost or no-cost haircuts as part of the training program for his students at Bloomington-Normal Barber College at 1116 E. Lafayette St. in Bloomington. Haircuts are available 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. For more information, call 309-828-1234 or visit www.bnbarbercollege.com. Crittendon and his students also work with Eastview Community Center, 602 S. Main St. in Bloomington, to provide free haircuts once a month for low-income and under-represented youth.
Young readers will receive free haircuts, courtesy of the WBRP program, and they can take home a book from the provided shelf and return it at the next visit. Anyone interested in supporting the program may purchase a book at Bobzbay in downtown Bloomington which will be added to the shelves of the Barbers with Books program. Books for young readers with Black characters by Black authors are preferred.