About Book Oasis
Book Oasis is a Houston area based nonprofit organization that is passionate about providing free access to books in underserved communities.
A Houston with no book deserts and equal access to books for all people regardless of socio-economic status.
Erase book deserts in the Houston Area and replace them with an environment where all children, regardless of economic status, have an abundance of books to choose from.
Our Co-Founders
Co-Founder
Passionate about literacy and education, Santiago helps lead our mission to eliminate book deserts in Houston.
Co-Founder
With a background in community organizing, Valentina focuses on building partnerships and expanding our reach.
Co-Founder
Lucila brings her expertise in education and literacy programs to help develop effective strategies for our book oases.
Co-Founder
Lucas contributes his passion for community service and organizational skills to help Book Oasis reach more underserved areas.
Words That Inspire Us
Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.
Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible.
Understanding Book Deserts
What are book deserts?
A book desert is an area where books are scarce. Lack of access to books at home–especially for families with young children–is a significant contributor to persistent educational inequalities.
According to the US Department of Education, up to 61 percent of low-income families do not have any books for their kids at home. Forty-five percent of US children live in neighborhoods that lack public libraries and stores that sell books, or in homes where books are an unaffordable luxury.
Why is Eliminating Book Deserts Important?
Book deserts reflect structural inequalities in access to books. The uneven availability of books adversely affects the reading development of children in communities with limited book access.
Eliminating book deserts is a key step to having more equality across all of America. By enabling kids who grow up in low-income neighborhoods to have equal access to books and literacy opportunities, we are giving these children the resources necessary to lead a full life and to be free from the shackles of poverty.
What is a "book oasis"?
An oasis is a spot or area in a desert- an area with very little rain yearly- that is fertile and has access to water. Similarly, a "book oasis" provides a free and abundant access to books for community members that live in areas with limited access to books. Book oases give relief to communities living in book deserts by encouraging learning, reading, and self-improvement.