ABSTRACT : Too many of our students, particularly those in high-poverty schools, struggle to become fluent readers. Yet a simple solution to this serious issue could be just a shelf away. To develop literacy, students need access to many interesting reading materials. Unfortunately, schools often neglect this obvious option. Books are necessary for the free voluntary reading through which we develop much of our literacy. Free reading profoundly improves our reading and writing ability, spelling, grammar, and vocabulary. And free reading appears to work for everyone. We now have evidence that free reading programs in school are effective worldwide for students of all ages, for both first and second language development. Simply providing access is the first and most important step in encouraging literacy development. Children get a substantial percentage of their reading material from libraries, and better libraries are related to better reading. The school library can make a profound difference. Unfortunately, while students in low-poverty schools usually have relatively open access to school libraries, children in high-poverty schools often face severely restricted access to the few services their school libraries do offer.