Who We Are
Our Mission
Streetside Library expands access to high-quality, diverse, and engaging books for children, families, and adults throughout Greater New Orleans. Through partnerships with schools, shelters, early childhood programs, senior centers, and community organizations, we bring books directly to people and places where access is limited, fostering literacy, connection, and a lifelong love of reading.
Our Vision
A city where the right book reaches every reader, wherever they live, learn, or find shelter.
Our Story
Streetside Library was founded by an educator and a social worker who believed that access to meaningful books should not depend on where someone lives, attends school, or finds support. What began as an effort to connect young readers with books has grown into a network of partnerships serving people of all ages, from babies to seniors, throughout Greater New Orleans.
Today we build and maintain libraries in shelters, schools, and community spaces, take requests from individual readers, help families leaving shelters start home libraries, and work with teachers to bring engaging books into their classrooms. Our approach is personal: we listen to our partners, learn about the people they serve, and choose books that reflect readers' interests, abilities, cultures, and experiences.
Why It Matters
Books at home make a difference. A study of more than 70,000 people in 27 countries found that children who grow up with many books complete about three more years of school, roughly the same boost as having college-educated parents. Yet children's books are hard to find in high-poverty neighborhoods. A 2016 study of six U.S. cities found that slightly better-off neighborhoods had about 16 times more children's books per child than high-poverty neighborhoods nearby. Here at home, about 1 in 3 New Orleans children live in poverty, more than double the national rate, and only about a third of Louisiana students in grades 3–8 score Mastery or above on state tests. Teachers fill the gap with their own money, spending an average of $895 in the 2024–25 school year. Shelters and community programs often receive donated books but don't have the staff to sort, organize, and keep them current. Streetside Library exists to close those gaps.
Sources: Evans et al., 2010 · Neuman & Moland, 2016 · The Data Center, 2025 · Louisiana Department of Education, 2025 · AdoptAClassroom.org, 2025
Meet the Book Ladies
Co-Director
Jaime Buck
Jaime Buck is a licensed social worker with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Loyola University, a master’s degree in Sociology from the University of New Orleans and a master’s degree in Social Work from Tulane University. Her career began as a researcher at Tulane studying homelessness and substance use in New Orleans. After having her two children, her focus shifted to working with children and families. Since that time, Jaime has spent many years as a Parent Educator at the Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital and at Early Learning Focus (a local non-profit) teaching social emotional and literacy skills to children in New Orleans public charter schools as well as tutoring young children in reading.
Co-Director
Maggie Tufail
Maggie Tufail is a certified teacher with a bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders and a master's degree in Special Education, both from Louisiana State University. Throughout her career, she has taught Pre-K and Kindergarten students with autism and developmental delays and served as a middle school special education support teacher. She has also worked as a homebound and hospital-based teacher, assisted in teacher training programs, tutored second and third graders in reading, and worked with Early Learning Focus teaching social emotional and literacy skills to children in New Orleans schools.
Our Board
Streetside Library is a woman-led organization. Our Board of Directors brings together leaders from urban planning, communications, construction, healthcare, business, and public service—each deeply committed to advancing equitable access to knowledge and opportunity for all New Orleanians.
Leadership
President
Sarah Olivier
Sarah Olivier has spent more than 20 years in planning and community development in New Orleans, focusing on green-space access, climate resilience, and affordable housing. She is a Senior Planner at CSRS Inc. and previously served as Director of Planning for City Park and as New Orleans Program Director for The Trust for Public Land. Sarah holds a Master's in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans.
Secretary
Christy Harowski
Christy Harowski is the founder and CEO of HCB Strategies, a national consulting firm specializing in strategic communications, coalition building, and organizational improvement. She previously led the Value of Water Campaign for the U.S. Water Alliance and served as Chief of Staff for the Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans. Christy holds a JD from Tulane University and a BS in Journalism from the University of Florida.
Treasurer
Jenny Bond
Jenny Bond is a student at LSU pursuing her MD and MPH. She graduated from Tulane, earning her Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Bachelor of Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Jenny is the Program Operations Professional for emPOWER NOLA, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program addressing childhood trauma through the reach of New Orleans culture bearers and school health professionals. Here, Jenny writes grants and academic papers about childhood trauma and assists with qualitative and quantitative program evaluation. Additionally, she is a CASA volunteer who advocates for youth in foster care, and she spent several years working with Electric Girls, a nonprofit organization promoting girls in STEM.
Board Member
Lakischia Smith
A New Orleans native and registered nurse, Lakischia Smith founded WHO DAT Barbershop Inc. in 2009 and built philanthropy into its core values. She later started the WHO DAT Cares Foundation, which provides books to school-age children, and she sits on the board of Fund 17, an organization that helps entrepreneurs.
Board Member
Mai Dinh
Mai Dinh is the owner and founder of Aiko Construction, a New Orleans company known for quality, community-centered residential and commercial projects. She volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and the Louisiana Just Recovery Network, and brings entrepreneurial and project management experience to Streetside's work creating welcoming spaces for readers.
Board Member
Alexandra Sims
Alexandra Sims, PhD, is a licensed child and adolescent psychologist and Senior Professor of Practice in the Department of Psychology at Tulane University. She also supports families through private practice with Atlas Psychiatry. Dr. Sims specializes in the assessment and diagnosis of learning and attention-related disorders. Trained as a school psychologist, Dr. Sims believes in supporting early literacy through access to books, and loves being part of the Streetside Library team. Dr. Sims enjoys travel, running, and life in New Orleans with her boys and puppies.
Community Partners
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Swipe to see a few of our partnerships!