The boxes weigh more than he does, and Adhvik Pradeep proudly supervised as his father carried them one by one into the WSOC/WAXN studio.

The 64U Books for Kids drive was this kindergarten student’s first foray into community service, and it was the result of perfect timing. Adhvik’s teacher talked about community helpers in school, and the next day he spotted a poster for the Library book drive. Adhvik put the two together and realized he could be a community helper by collecting books for others. He asked his friends, neighbors, and classmates to help, and together they collected 332 books, which Adhvik carefully boxed up and delivered.

Adhvik understands how important it is for kids to have good books to read. He’s an avid reader, and his mother credits the Library with his early interest in books. “We’ve been going to the Library regularly since he was a baby, and he learned to read before he was 3. Adhvik has read over 500 books, and we check them all out from the Library.”

The first annual 64U Books for Kids drive ended last week, and the 6,000 books collected are already making their way into the hands of kids and teens throughout the community. They’ll be distributed through outreach efforts like the Community Bookshelf program, Summer Break Book Bucks, Little Free Libraries, and partnerships with Read Charlotte and Promising Pages.

Many thanks to Adhvik and his friends, to everyone who contributed books, and to WAXN-TV64, for helping the Library improve lives and build a stronger community.