DURHAM, N.C. — A free library can be found on the corner of Moreland Avenue in Durham. That's where Sherly Smith brought her seven grandchildren to pick out a summer reading book.
What You Need To Know
- Paul Scott passes out free books to youth in Durham
- The books focus on Black history
- The pop-up library is called the Bull City Griot
- The City of Durham crime report shows 420 shootings this year as of July 16
"I know just how important reading is, you got to be able to read and comprehend what you're reading to get through life," Smith said.
The free Black library was created by Paul Scott, a street minister in Durham who is working to put an end to violence before it happens.
"If given the choice, the young people in Durham would choose books over bullets, so we make the books available," Scott said.
"Books over bullets" is the motto of Scott's pop-up book store that's dubbed the Bull City Griot.
"I know the impact of books and reading about my history had on my life," Scott said.
Every week, typically on Sundays, Scott can be found in Durham's West End neighborhood with hundreds of books, from children's picture books to chapter books for teens.
"I've been setting up in Northgate Park a lot because it's a central location in the evenings," Scott said.
Scott has lived in Durham for 35 years and knows firsthand the impact that shootings have had on his community. On July 24, after packing up his pop-up, Scott made it out just in time before being caught in the crossfire of a drive by shooting at the Morehead Mini Mart, less than a quarter mile from where he was passing out books. Durham police said between 30 and 40 gunshots were fired.
"We had just left the area, an a hour before the drive by, but it was like 50 shots, 50 casings, broad daylight Sunday afternoon," Scott said.
The City of Durham weekly shooting report revealed 420 shootings this year as of July 16. In 2021, 430 shootings were reported and 488 shootings reported in 2020, within the same time frame.
The city is hoping a new gunfire detection program, ShotSpotter, will help reduce those statistics. ShotSpotter uses sensors to alert the police department when a gun shot is fired in certain areas that the device is located in. The coverage area will span three miles in Durham's east and southeast neighborhoods.
"People have different solutions to stopping the violence in Durham, ShotSpotter and things of that nature, but we want to stop the violence before it starts and it comes with changing the mind of people in the community," Scott said.
Scott says he was taught "knowledge is power" from a young age and is using books to encourage the youth to stay in school and find an interest in their education.
"I could have been in the streets but my parents, family, grandmother especially always taught me the value of reading," Scott said.
Scott's goal is to replace bullets with books.
"A lot of these young people need to understand in Durham, just that somebody cares," Scott said.
The ShotSpotter installation is tentatively slated to being in September. The year long pilot program was approved in the City of Durham's 2022-2023 budget. The first three months will be free, and the remaining cost to the city is $197,500.