Press release

Discover Quebec's first network of book-sharing boxes-designed for children from 0 to 12

Montreal, September 22, 2014 - Have you been wondering what those little monsters are that have been rearing their adorable heads in selected parks and public spaces? Wonder no longer: they're Croque-livres: irresistible book-sharing boxes being launched today for children between 0 and 12.*

Inspired by the North American "Take a book, leave a book" movement, the Croque-livres initiative offers Quebec children free access to shared books. Adopted and managed by organizations, institutions, companies or even individuals, Croque-livres provide the perfect meeting place for children and books!

Since adoptive caregivers are given free rein with respect to decoration and setup, every Croque-livres has its own personality. Each one becomes a recognized member of its community: a friendly, encouraging presence that likes nothing better than tasty books for children! Whether they are installed inside or outside, Croque-livres are easy to find, thanks to the locator on the croquelivres.ca website. 

Easy and free of charge

Using a Croque-livres couldn't be easier…and it doesn't cost a cent! Any child is free to take a book or leave one for another child to read. That's all there is to it. The books are not lent, but shared or exchanged.

History of Croque-livres in Quebec

The originators of this initiative were members of a partnership committee that came together to work toward a common goal: to encourage children to discover the joy of reading. Instigated by the Lucie and André Chagnon Foundation, this committee included the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve (City of Montreal), the Quebec association of early childcare centres (Association québécoise des CPE), the Vaudreuil-Soulanges local action committee (Comité d'action locale), the Rosement community development corporation (Corporation de développement communautaire), the Literacy Foundation and the City of Laval.

Croque-livres are just one more of the many initiatives that are springing up in several Quebec communities thanks to the work of countless organizations and individuals who have been working tirelessly for decades to give children easier access to books and promote the joy of reading.

During the summer of 2014, partners successfully tested the setup and operation of nine Croque-livres with the cooperation of community organizations in the Greater Montreal region (Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Rosemont), Laval, and two locations in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region: Les Côteaux and Sainte-Marthe. Encouraged by the huge success of the pilot project, a further 150 Croque-livres have been put into operation in all regions of the province by partnership groups supported by Avenir d'enfants and by local committees for language and literacy development by Montreal Hooked on School. And that's just the beginning!

• Comedian and radio host Jean-François Baril is the sponsor of the Croque-livres of the Saint-Hubert Maison de la Famille La Parentr'Aide.
• Television personality Patricia Paquin is the proud sponsor of the Croque-livres of the Carrefour Familial Hochelaga.
• Freestyle-skiers Chloé, Justine and Maxime Dufour-Lapointe simply fell in love with the Croque-livres at the Centre de l'enfance de Rivière-des-Prairies (CERPI) in their home town.
• Actress Brigitte Lafleur is the sponsor of the Croque-livres adopted by the youth programs for motor and language deficiency team at the Centre montérégien de réadaptation.
• Author of children's picture books and adult fiction Dominique Demers sponsors the Croque-livres that has taken up residence in the Bibliothèque de Saint-Michel.
• Singer and personality Marc Hervieux is the sponsor of the Croque-livres at the CPE du Montréal Métropolitain.