Free Book Giveaway at the Bywater Art Garden

The Neighborhood Book Peddler was created with a simple but powerful mission: to make books free and accessible to everyone. We believe that stories are more than entertainment—they are lifelines, teachers, healers, and bridges between people. Through carefully curated collections, we bring literature directly into the heart of the community, fostering connection, cultural exchange, and personal growth. Founded in August 2025, The Neighborhood Book Peddler began as a small idea with big intention: a single tricycle carrying books through the neighborhoods of New Orleans, offering free stories to anyone who wished to read. Since then, we’ve completed the build of our first custom tricycle, collected 685 books, and continue to grow our library with a goal of reaching 1,000 books by our first community event on January 11, 2026. Each book is freely given—one per visitor—to encourage sharing, reflection, and curiosity across all ages. We believe that access to books is access to opportunity. In too many communities, literature is treated as a privilege rather than a right. Yet the simple presence of books at home has been shown to improve literacy, academic success, and emotional well-being. For children, books open worlds of imagination and possibility; for adults, they offer empathy, understanding, and connection. By making books visible, mobile, and joyfully free, The Neighborhood Book Peddler works to remove barriers to literacy and foster a culture where reading is communal, celebrated, and accessible to all. The heart behind this mission is rooted in lived experience. Our founder grew up in a place where libraries were distant and books were rare treasures—each one a doorway into another world. Those early encounters with storytelling shaped a lifelong belief in the power of words to heal, connect, and transform. The Neighborhood Book Peddler carries that same belief forward, ensuring that others can experience the same spark of discovery and belonging through books. Looking ahead, our long-term goals are focused on sustainable growth and deeper community impact. We aim to expand our fleet of book tricycles and carts to reach more neighborhoods across New Orleans; build partnerships with schools, shelters, and cultural organizations to reach those who need books most; host storytelling and literacy-based events that pair books with music and conversation; and ultimately establish a community hub where reading, creativity, and cultural exchange can thrive. Beyond New Orleans, we hope to inspire replication of The Neighborhood Book Peddler model in other cities, sparking a larger movement of free, community-driven access to books.