First Book Canada is using locks on community lending libraries to communicate how, for certain segments of the population, books are inaccessible.

The nonprofit – with a mission “to transform the lives of children in need by improving access to educational opportunities” – filled “Little Locked Storyboxes” with fun children’s books, but kept them under lock and key.

The “Storyboxes” feature a QR code on the lock, driving to the First Book Canada website where community members can learn more about the organization’s mission and contribute. Canadian publishers provided the books, and when the program wraps, they will all be donated and distributed through First Book Canada’s network.

“Books offer kids a world of imagination and education,” says Heather Farquharson, executive director of First Book Canada. “Books are essential, from enhancing brain development in toddlers to empowering teens with representative stories… Far too many Canadian children are locked out of access to books – and that needs to change.”

Since 2009, First Book has distributed more than 10 million books and educational resources to kids via a network of over 20,000 members serving Canadian kids in need – including shelters, schools, clinics, hospitals, new immigrant transition centres and sports organizations.

The boxes will be installed on five lawns in Toronto neighbourhoods: High Park, Midtown, The Beaches, Greektown, and The Annex.

The initiative is being promoted through a media relations program, which is being led by the team at Craft, with which First Book has had a six year relationship. The agency team that developed the “Storybook” idea were students in Humber’s PR certificate program, and part of Craft’s “Creative for a Cause” challenge.

“Creative for a Cause combines two things we’re incredibly passionate about at Craft: mentorship and education,” says Craft president, Lisa Pasquin. As she explains, the event is an annual 24-hour hackathon-style event that challenges teams of future PR pros to develop a creative communications plan. PR students were encouraged to enter, however participants didn’t need to be enrolled in a formal PR program in order to take part.

One of the First Book project participants, Ashley Forgie, ended up interning at Craft and was just hired as a full-time account coordinator this month.

“More than half of our thirty-four full-time team members at Craft started with the agency as part of our paid internship program,” Pasquin notes. “So we understand first-hand the importance of building skills, sharing knowledge and inspiring world-class thinking among new PR professionals.”