DCSA Special Agent Volunteers with His Wife to Impact and Improve Literacy in Illinois

Courtesy Photo | SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Special Agent Jeff Lapp – who works in the Background Investigations St. Louis Field Office – volunteers his free time with his wife, Tiffany, to increase literacy in his community. “The books are waiting in our basement to be donated and will go out to our local library, Little Libraries and reading nooks – to whoever needs them,” said Lapp. When the couple heard about a program called the Little Free Library, they decided to sponsor one in Springfield and bought it pre-made with their co-sponsor – the FBI, who paid half. “We maintain that Little Free Library and other Little Libraries in the city.”  

IL, UNITED STATES

04.06.2022

Story by John Joyce 

Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Jeff Lapp surveyed the books stacked throughout his basement and while scanning the titles and picking up a few tomes that caught his eye, he took a few minutes to peruse the contents and knew that there would be children in his community who would love those books.

The children would enjoy more than the few random books he picked up here and there to read – there were approximately one thousand books in his basement spanning myriad topics just waiting for elementary, middle and high school students as well as anyone in the community to enjoy.

“We help store the books,” said Lapp, a Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) special agent in the Background Investigations St. Louis Field Office, who volunteers his free time with his wife, Tiffany, to increase literacy in his community. “The books are waiting in our basement to be donated and will go out to our local library, Little Libraries and reading nooks – to whoever needs them.”

Many of the books will also go out to families in their neighborhood via porch drops through a book delivery program the Lapps launched and have been coordinating for about two years.

The couple first launched a reading nook in their community at a Salvation Army library. They paid to put up another reading nook in a local elementary school. “We set it up with chairs where the teachers can go with kids and read,” said Jeff. “The library in that school is open only one day a week since a librarian is not available throughout the week.”

When the Lapps heard about a program called the Little Free Library (LFL), they decided to sponsor one in Springfield and bought it pre-made with their co-sponsor – the FBI, who paid half.

“We maintain that Little Free Library and other Little Libraries in the city,” said Jeff regarding the book-sharing boxes that are open seven days a week, 24 hours a day and are freely accessible to all, removing barriers to book access.

The Lapps share the non-profit LFL’s vision to be a catalyst for building community, inspiring readers, and expanding book access for all through a global network of volunteer-led Little Free Libraries. This includes the couple’s work and collaboration with key community partners – schools, their local public library, an inner-city mission and other groups to bring LFL to their city.

For example, the couple are partnering with the Inner City Mission in Springfield, which provides shelter, sustenance, education and Christian counseling to homeless children, their parents and single women.

“We went into an Inner City Mission building not in use at the time and we built a relaxation room for adults and children,” said Lapp. “The kids started reading there – they are enjoying it and keeping it up. It is helping them to avoid trouble because their free time is taken up by something else – relaxing and reading.”

Moreover, Jeff and Tiffany drive throughout their city on a regular basis to contribute an SUV full of items at micro-pantries. “We began putting food and books in drive-up food pantries sprouting up around our community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jeff, adding that they are committed to continuing these donations until things start to normalize.

The couple also managed book donations while involved in literacy initiatives through the Northside Children’s Community Library – an all-volunteer library located in a church behind their home – since 2017.

They have been giving, collecting and redistributing approximately three boxes of gently used books per week, or more than 150 boxes per year.

Tiffany was recognized at a ceremony at a March 2022 ceremony by the Springfield Clinic Urgent Care for her work in the community. The Springfield Clinic also presented Tiffany – in her capacity as treasurer of the Northside Children’s Community Library Board of Directors – with thousands of dollars of art supplies, books on tape, four HP All in One computers, new books, games and snacks for children who frequent the Northside Children’s Library.

Since Springfield’s library branches are closed, children who want to go to the city’s public library would have to go all the way downtown. Thanks to the Lapps and other volunteers who work with them, children and adults have access to a wide range of books at Northside Children’s Community Library, and Little Free Libraries in addition to reading nooks at the Inner City Mission and the Salvation Army.

"It means everything, to be honest,” said TJ, a local resident, in a video posted by Northside Children's Community Library Facebook Page. “A lot of people don't have the opportunity to read and take their mind off other things."

• Date Taken: 04.06.2022
• Date Posted: 04.06.2022 16:25
• Story ID: 417960
• Location: IL, US