A dedication ceremony was held on Jan. 18 to unveil a new reading space and children's collection at Murray Library on the campus of Messiah University, Grantham. The Bridge to Freedom Collection provides educational resources for children centered on the Civil Rights Movement and other historical experiences with themes of equality, freedom, justice, and reconciliation.

This collection was established through the donation of 133 children's books from Dr. Todd Allen, Lonette Allen, and Bryce Allen. Todd is the founder of the Common Ground Project, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching the history of the Civil Rights Movement.

The resources will be primarily used by students in the university's education department for coursework and field experiences, but the reading space and books are open to the public. From brightly colored furniture to framed prints of book illustrations, the collection and space are meant to welcome readers into stories that illustrate the human experience.

The public may visit the Bridge to Freedom room within Murray Library during regular open hours. The collection will receive new additions each year. More information about the collection is available at https://libguides.messiah.edu/special/bridge.