A Southport library is refusing to let COVID-19 stand in the way of a long-standing tradition of giving teachers the help they need to turn their students into lifelong readers.

Every year, the Pequot Library's "Books For Teachers" program helps more than 300 Bridgeport and New Haven public school teachers stock up their classroom libraries.

"Being a newer teacher, I don't have a lot of books. So I was like, 'this is perfect!'" said pre-school teacher Megan Watts.

Teachers usually pick out the books that they want during the library's annual summer book sale. However, the pandemic forced the cancellation of this year's event.

"Because of COVID restrictions, teachers are now sending in applications and volunteers of Pequot Library, as well as staff members at Pequot, are shopping for the teachers," said Pequot Library's Caroline Owens Crawford.

"They did like a survey and it was just asking me like what grade I taught, what kind of books I'd be interested in," Watts said.

One hundred dollars-worth of books are then packed up for each teacher. Some of the books will be given to students who choose to learn from home.

With the library still closed, the program, although different this year, provides a little sense of normalcy for the library's countless volunteers.

"We're so happy. This is given us the most pleasure of the summer," Owens Crawford said. "It's what we're most excited about. We're thrilled to be able to put thousands of books into the hands of hundreds of teachers in Bridgeport and New Haven."

The application deadline for teachers has been extended until Wednesday Aug. 19.

For more information about the "Books For Teachers" program, follow this link.