All of which makes sense, for several reasons. One is that Ryan is the communications coordinator for Greene County Public Library. Another is that his Ph.D thesis focused on the social history of libraries. (Ryan’s doctorate is in English with a focus on composition and rhetoric from Miami University.)
Not only that, but his wife, Amber Ireland, was all for the idea. “She’s great at organizing events and projects,” Ryan says.
RELATED: 5 years of lessons in Dayton literature
Amber is also a social worker and says she's seen firsthand how reading and literacy makes a positive difference in people's lives.
As it turned out, though, little did the couple know that the day they’d scheduled the event in Cleveland turned into the same day as the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team celebrated its first ever NBA championship.
“If we were sports fans, we might have been aware of this and rescheduled,” Ryan quips. “But we showed up. The media did also — but for the Cavaliers!”
However, one of the Little Free Library stewards they met was Judy Payne, co-founder and director of the Kid’s Book Bank in Cleveland.
“She challenged us to set up Free Little Libraries across Greene County,” Ryan says.
Little Free Libraries are "take a book, leave a book" free book exchanges housed in small boxes, often shaped like houses, on posts in yards or other locations. Learn more at https://littlefreelibrary.org/.
In 2017, the couple decided to start to work on installing Little Free Libraries across Greene County, with the ultimate goal of installing 100 across the Miami Valley in 2018.
MORE BOOK NEWS: Dayton poet finds publishing success with debut collection
“Of course, we knew we couldn’t do this ourselves,” says Amber. “I began organizing spreadsheets, our website, how we could distribute books, how to work with community partners.”
“She’s the brains behind the operation,” Ryan says.
That "operation" is the couple's 501c3 nonprofit, Third Story Literacy Project, the name inspired by the fact Ryan's writing office is in the third story of their house. The logo for the nonprofit reflects that inspiration.
“We both build the libraries and have friends helping us,” Amber says. “Our goal is to work with individuals as well as other nonprofits, businesses and city parks to install the libraries with the proper legal permits and in places where hopefully people might be both delighted and surprised to find a Little Free Library — and take a book!”
The couple says that their garage no longer holds cars — half of the garage holds books and the other half holds supplies for building the Little Free Libraries.
The nonprofit has provided Little Free Libraries to Parker General Store and TCN Family Solutions and are currently partnering with the city of Xenia, Mike's Bike Park of Dayton, One Bistro, the village of Clifton and others.
MORE: Local writer wins Ohioana award, and more on literary scene
To learn more about the Irelands' mission and their Third Story Literacy Project, or to donate to the cause, visit www.thirdstoryliteracyproject.org. To learn more about Ryan's novels, visit www.ryangireland.com.
UPCOMING LITERARY EVENTS
• Now through August 15, application open to attend Fall Retreat of Antioch Writers' Workshop at University of Dayton — The workshop's fall retreat will be Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Bergamo Center in Beavercreek. Retreat leaders are award-winning novelist Meredith Doench and Pulitzer Prize Finalist novelist and memoirist Lee Martin. Learn more and apply to attend at www.antiochwritersworkshop.com.
• Tuesday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m., Wright Memorial Public Library, 1776 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood — Wright Library Poets meet in the library's conference room to share work and hone craft; beginners are welcome. For more information contact Elizabeth Schmidt, schmidt@wrightlibrary.org, or call 294-7171.
• Wednesday, Aug. 16, 3 p.m., Dayton Metro Library, West Carrollton Branch (300 E. Central Ave., West Carrollton) — Poet T.J. McGuire, author of "Mid-life Chrysler," will lead a workshop for teens on creating poetry. For more information email Christine Gaffney at cgaffney@daytonmetrolibrary.org.
• Sunday, Aug. 19, 6-8 p.m., Spirited Goat Coffee House, 118 Dayton St. Yellow Springs — "An Evening of Ohio Poets" will feature readings by the event's organizer, James J. Siegel, whose poetry collection "How Ghosts Travel" was recently nominated as a finalist for the Ohioana Library Book Award, Grace Curtis, Matthew T. Birdsall, and T.J. McGuire.
• Sunday, Aug. 20, 2:30 p.m., Wright Memorial Public Library, 1776 Far Hills Ave., Oakwood — Writers' Café, a casual hang out for writers ages 18 and up and of all experience levels, meets the first Friday (7:00 p.m.) and third Sunday (at 2:30) of each month.
About the Author