▶

Chesterfield Schools Hand Out Free Books in El Librotazo Event

TL;DR: Chesterfield County Public Schools' free El Librotazo book party lets children select books to build home libraries with community support.

The story

Chesterfield County Public Schools launched El Librotazo, a free community book party, in July 2024 to help build home libraries for children across the district. The inaugural event, held July 9, 2024 at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds, invited children from birth through high school to select three to five books of their choice to take home at no cost.

The name El Librotazo reflects the scale and cultural significance of the celebration, which provides books in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto and Dari to serve the county's diverse families. Beyond books, the event offers activities designed to create a festive atmosphere: an obstacle course and inflatable attractions, hands-on crafts led by the Children's Museum of Richmond, games facilitated by Chesterfield Parks and Recreation, music and cultural performances, and food including hot dogs, popsicles and popcorn.

The event depends on financial sponsorship and community support to operate. The Chesterfield Education Foundation and Dominion Energy provided backing for the inaugural 2024 event. Families are asked to register in advance for free tickets to manage attendance capacity.

El Librotazo has continued annually, with a 2025 event held July 15 at the same venue. The program reflects work by the county's Family and Community Engagement Office to strengthen partnerships between schools, families and communities in support of student success. The continued annual event suggests the program's reception within the community and the commitment to making free books accessible to all Chesterfield County students regardless of family income.

Key players

• Chesterfield County Public Schools: Host of the El Librotazo event
• Chesterfield Education Foundation: Co-sponsor providing financial support
• Dominion Energy: Financial sponsor
• Children's Museum of Richmond: Provides hands-on craft activities
• Chesterfield Parks and Recreation: Leads games and activities

Key dates

• July 9, 2024: First El Librotazo event held
• July 15, 2025: El Librotazo event held

Why it matters: Free access to books helps students build home libraries and foster reading habits regardless of family resources. The multilingual collection and community celebration signal district commitment to serving diverse families and building equitable literacy support across Chesterfield County.

Places

• Chesterfield County Fairgrounds
• Chesterfield County

Related links

• Chesterfield County Public Schools
• Chesterfield Education Foundation
• Chesterfield County Schools: Programs for Families

Read the original at Chesterfield County Public Schools (YouTube) →

Sources

• July 9: El Librotazo is the place to be | Chesterfield County Public Schools
• Chesterfield County Public Schools to host book party with free books, games and food | WRIC ABC 8News
• El Librotazo event calendar | Chesterfield Education Foundation
• Chesterfield Education Foundation: El Librotazo 2025
• Programs for Families | Chesterfield County Public Schools
• Family and Community Engagement Update | Chesterfield County Public Schools