Quick summary
The Laundry Basket Library is a volunteer-powered organization that distributes free books throughout Mansfield. The group is accepting donated books and volunteers. For more information, contact Susie Ryckman at 419-564-9555 or scryck@yahoo.com.
MANSFIELD — School children no longer go to class in the Brinkerhoff building, but the library is still being put to good use.
The space is now home to the Laundry Basket Library, a volunteer-driven effort that provides free reading materials for all ages.
Established in 2001, the Laundry Basket Library distributes donated books to 24 sites across the city. The books are placed in laundry baskets and are free to take.
Volunteers collect, sort and deliver books. Some baskets are refilled monthly, others twice a month and some less frequently, depending on the demand at each site.
Program coordinator Susie Ryckman estimated the group puts out about 300 books per month.
“We try to watch what we put out,” Ryckman said. “Some places will only want kids books. We will just fill what their particular needs are.”
Where are the laundry baskets?
The Laundry Basket Library delivers books to several Mansfield locations, including:
- Bus Station on First and Diamond
- Chugs Convenience Store, 77 S. Diamond
- Clean Jeans Laundry Room & Tanning, 225 Ashland Rd.
- Colonial Coin Laundry, 190 Marion Ave.
- Richland County Juvenile Justice Center, 411 South Diamond Street
- KV Market, 359 W. Fourth Street
- Mansfield Family Restaurants, 948 S. Main St. and 1090 Park Ave West
- Richland Pregnancy Center, 1560 W 4th St.
- The Domestic Violence Shelter
- Speedway, 564 N. Trimble Rd. and 1321 Park Ave W.
- Thrifty Wash Coin Laundry
- First English Early Learning Center, 53 Park Avenue W.
- Catalyst Life Services, 741 Scholl Road
- Grace Episcopal Church food pantry, 41 Bowman St.
- Joe and Mary’s Market and Deli, 162 Sturges Ave
- Quickmart, 563 S. Diamond
The group uses the occasional monetary donation to purchase books second-hand as well as board books, which are rarely donated.
But most people simply donate books.
“At times we have thought we were going to run out and then it seems like some divine intervention comes,” Ryckman said.
“Once in a while somebody will give us a cash donation, but we don’t go out seeking it.”
Ryckman said the group accepts gently used books with a few exceptions. The group does not accept encyclopedias, medical books or textbooks.
“We’re really trying to get away from receiving nonfiction books only because we’re finding most of the books that go out tend to be the fiction books,” she said.
“We take a few ‘How To’ books, but only if they’re less than 10 years old.”
Laundry Basket Library has served Mansfield since 2001
Debra McKee founded the Laundry Basket Library in June 2001 while she was working as a parent involvement coordinator at Mansfield City Schools.
“If you want children to be able to read, they have to have books,” founder Debra McKee told Richland Source in 2021.
Volunteers from the Laundry Basket Library pose for a photo at the program’s headquarters. 
The Laundry Basket Library headquarters at the Brinkerhoff building. 
The Laundry Basket Library headquarters at the Brinkerhoff building. 
The Laundry Basket Library headquarters at the Brinkerhoff building. 
Susie Ryckman addresses the Mansfield City Schools board of education.
“Joyce (Adair) and I both were working for Mansfield City Schools and that’s a real concern in our district, that they don’t have all the books they need in their home.”
Since its inception, the Laundry Basket Library has partnered with the district. The program began at the Hedges building and was housed in the Sherman Elementary building for many years.
“If we have problems or need help, we go to the city schools,” said program coordinator Susie Ryckman.
Earlier this month, the district honored the Laundry Basket Library as an Every Student, Every Day champion.
“The books are for all ages, with the hope that all family members will pick up a book to read,” said Hollie Christie, director of student support programs for Mansfield City Schools.
“They have supported the S.A.F.E. program before. They’ve made packs of books that we would put in a backpack so every student had some books at home. So we appreciate their partnership.”
Ryckman said the Laundry Basket Library is accepting donations, volunteers and requests for additional drop-off sites.
“We try to find places where we know kids will go in,” she said.
“If there’s anybody out there that has a store or a place where kids come in and would want to have a basket put in, they can always contact me.”
For more information, contact Susie Ryckman at 419-564-9555 or scryck@yahoo.com.
