SMU Student Creates Laundromat Libraries for the Littlest Readers

Dallas (SMU) – In the Scrub-a-Dubs laundromat in East Dallas, three-year-old Noah selects a book from a well-stocked bookshelf, then settles in a chair just his size to flip the pages. His grandmother folds clothes nearby.

SMU sophomore Ryland Adzich created the Scrub-a-Dubs library to encourage children’s reading in everyday spaces.

“Habits are built at young ages,” she says. “This is a great place to start.”

In the Scrub-a-Dubs laundromat in East Dallas, Ryland Adzich reads a book to three-year-old Noah from the library she created there.

Ryland’s work in Dallas is an extension of an idea that began when she was in middle school in the San Francisco Bay Area. During the pandemic, Ryland, an avid reader, appreciated her easy access to books at the local library and from her own collection. But she understood that in 2020 not every child in her community shared the same access. She and a friend started a book drive to collect books for children who live in book deserts.  Their success led Ryland to create a nonprofit, The Creative Destination, which has established ten laundromat libraries in the San Francisco area.

Now in Dallas as an SMU student, Ryland works with groups like students from the Hockaday School who conduct book drives and raise $150 to provide a sturdy bookshelf. Ryland takes the project from there, setting up and maintaining four Dallas-area laundromat libraries.

The library at Scrub-a-Dubs laundromat has helped business, says owner James Franey, who didn’t have to be convinced of the value of a laundromat library. A former college professor, he has a Little Free Library installed at his home.

At SMU, Ryland is a Dedman Scholar, a Tower Scholar and founder of Womens’ Innovative Network, an organization created to empower undergraduate women in research, innovation and entrepreneurship. As top winner of the fall 2024 Big Ideas competition, she was awarded $1,000 to support laundromat libraries plus an additional $1,000 from the Spears Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership for having the most inspirational idea at the competition. A computer science, data science and political science major, Ryland plans to pursue law school after graduation.

To support her libraries in laundromats, please visit https://thecreativedestination.org/ .