Have you ever heard the saying, “Reading is fundamental?” Well, some Harlemites take the term literally. Every first day of each month, it’s Literacy Across Harlem Day with #RockThoseReads. This day is being utilized to influence more people to dedicate a whole day to reading. Even though we are already in June, there are two more family friendly events: La Casa Azul Bookstore’s three-year anniversary fiesta and the third annual Visit Your Harlem Library Day.

Saturday, June 6, La Casa Azul Bookstore is having its three-year anniversary, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The celebration will include music, art, food and storytelling by local authors and illustrators. La Casa Azul Bookstore is located at 143 E. 103rd St. (between Park and Lexington avenues).

TEN and other community-based organizations will be there to celebrate as well. TEN, also known as Total Equity Now, engages Harlem residents to encourage others to help the community become an increasingly advanced educational community. They also encourage youth leadership development and development of organizational skills to create a better community.

Saturday, June 20, TEN is hosting its third annual Visit Your Harlem Library Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Harlem has 10 public libraries, and TEN is taking Harlem residents on a tour to see each of them, in the memory of Pura Belpre, who worked at four Harlem libraries while also being a librarian, author and puppeteer.

Visit Your Harlem Library was created to encourage people to use these wonderful, often times overlooked, community facilities.

Like many libraries citywide, Harlem public libraries also offer free educational programs, events and resources. Because school will be out in less than a month, TEN wants Harlem residents to maintain a relationship with one of the local public library branches.

For more information about TEN, please go to www.totalequitynowharlem.org/donate.

For more information about the La Casa Azul Bookstore three-year anniversary event, please go to http://luchalibrosnyc.blogspot.com/2015/05/3-years-in-east-harlem.html.