Books for boys program kicks off Tuesday at MLK Park

The Mayor’s Books 2 Boys initiative kicks off Tuesday at a city park in Five Points.

Mayor Steve Benjamin along with the Richland Library, the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and local athletic celebrities will be at the 4 p.m. at Martin Luther King Park.

“If we can make reading as popular or as fun as sports, we’ll change boys’ outlook and futures,” Benjamin said Monday.

Similar to a book fair, boys in grades one through five may choose from about 1,500 books and will be set up by age group.

The mayor’s office is paying for and coordinating with librarians to pick books of interest to boys of that age.

Richland Library will also provide drawstring book bags and other reading materials.

University of South Carolina men’s basketball coach Frank Martin will be joined by former professional football player and local TV sports anchor Corey Miller.