Arizona PBS, First Things First Navajo Nation Region, PNC Foundation to host free little library ribbon cutting April 3

Navajo Nation’s Teec Nos Pos Trading Post to house permanent little free library; celebration will include a visit from PBS Kids’ Clifford the Big Red Dog

Arizona PBS and First Things First Navajo Nation Regional Partnership Council leaders will visit Teec Nos Pos Trading Post to participate in the ribbon cutting for the little free library donated through PNC Foundation’s PNC Grow Up Great initiative on Wednesday, April 3, 2024.

The free event will start at 3 p.m. (MDT/ Navajo Nation time) at the Trading Post located at the intersection of Highways 160 and 64, Teec Nos Pos, AZ, 86514. The ribbon cutting will feature crafts, children’s book giveaways and a special appearance by PBS KIDS character Clifford the Big Red Dog.

“The closest library to this community is 30 miles away, so we are excited to support the little free library here in Teec Nos Pos and grateful for owner John McCulloch who dedicated a space for families to read and access free books,” said Memarie Tsosie, First Things First Navajo Nation regional director. “Studies show that children whose parents and caregivers regularly talk and read with them develop larger vocabularies, become better readers, and do better in school.”

PNC Grow Up Great® launched in 2004, focusing the company’s philanthropic support to help prepare children from birth through age 5 for success in school and life. The $500 million, bilingual initiative helps to prepare children, particularly underserved children, for kindergarten, setting a solid foundation for their future. “We are honored that this little free library is finding a home in the Navajo Nation, where it will support not only young learners but the entire community,” said Cathleen Walker, PNC regional president for Phoenix and Northern Arizona. “For 20 years, PNC Grow Up Great® has supported early childhood education throughout our footprint. Here in Arizona, we support several local organizations making a positive impact, such as First Things First and Arizona PBS. This donation is another example of how these important collaborations provide lasting benefits.”

PNC Grow Up Great®’s investment in little free libraries and partnerships with early childhood education organizations embedded in the communities they support is the catalyst for the donation. Little free library placements are directed by community members based on the highest need. The Teec Nos Pos Trading Post is considered a hub of this tribal community, and the library will continue to receive culturally relevant books sourced by PNC through partners including Southwest Human Development.

“We’re proud to be participating in the ribbon cutting for this little free library and supplying it with books and family activities in Teec Nos Pos,” said Arizona PBS Senior Director of Educational Outreach Kimberly Flack. “For more than six decades, Arizona PBS has been connecting Arizonans across the state with educational resources, and that’s exactly what this library will do.”

Learn more about the little free library program at littlefreelibrary.org.