At brick dedications last month, families and community members saw for the first time their engraved bricks that were placed at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library.

Commemorative bricks were installed for the dedication with engraved messages such as “READ and QUERY All Your Lives,” “READING CHANGES LIVES,” “avid reader and teacher,” and “DCPL Staff is the Best.” Donations for the bricks raised nearly $8,000 for the DeKalb Library Foundation to benefit the library system.

Those who had bricks installed at the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library included District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, Library Director Alison Weissinger, DeKalb Library Foundation Treasurer Bill Harshman and Friends Alliance President Janis Jones.

Pauline Sawadogo remembered her mother Iwaoga F. Nikiema, who never had the chance to learn to read, with an engraved brick. Pauline Sawadogo and her family moved to the area from West Africa three years ago and they regularly use the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer branch.

At the library, she uses GED test preparation materials, her sixth grade son chooses reading materials and Mr. Sawadogo, who teaches English, can find adult learning materials.

Bricks also commemorated business and civic groups. Among them are Mainstreet Tucker Alliance founder Charlton Allen, the Tucker Times, Leadership DeKalb, The Champion newspaper and CrossRoadsNews. Several book clubs honored members with a brick including Tucker Monday Book Club member Nancy Krawitz.

Brick dedications also were held at the Hairston Crossing and Salem-Panola Library branches.

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DeKalb Libraries Extend Brick Program