“Give Me Liberty and Give Me Books!”

 

The 2011 AALL Book Drive organized by the Social Responsibilities Special Interest Section has begun and will continue until the end of the Annual Meeting in Philadelphia (July 26, 2011).  This year’s book drive will benefit Philadelphia Children’s Foundation (PCF). The PCF is a non-profit educational-support organization on connecting students and their families to resources and opportunities in the Philadelphia area. The books from this drive will benefit PCF's Read for Success program. The Read for Success program makes 2-3 large book donations per year to Philadelphia schools serving students from Kindergarten to the 8th Grade. Typically, the recipient schools have small library collection s or no library at all, so these books truly go to students in need. The Read for Success program seeks new and gently-used books geared towards K through 8th graders on any and all subjects.

 

How can you help PCF provide books to children in need?

 

1. •Order a book online from “2011 AALL Book Drive for the Philadelphia Children's Foundation” Amazon.com wishlist: http://amzn.com/w/3ONTUFFIFBI1B. 
   

2. •Send a check or bookstore gift card (from any bookstore) to the book drive co-organizer in Philadelphia (see address below).
   

3. •Drop off books, gift card, or a check in Philadelphia during the AALL Annual Meeting at the Social Responsibilities Special Interest Section table in Exhibit Hall.
   

4. •Buy books at Joseph Fox Bookshop -- Center City Philadelphia’s only general independent bookshop – and receive 20% off all purchases made for the drive.  To receive the discount, mention that the books are for the AALL Book Drive at the cash register.  Donations should be left at the store, where they will be picked up at the end of the Annual Meeting.
   

Joseph Fox Bookshop

1724 Sansom Street (between 17th & 18th Streets)

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215. (215)563-4184
     

Directions: From the Convention Center, head south on 12th St. to Sansom St. Turn right and walk straight to 17th St.  The store is located on the south side of the street, in the middle of the block, across from the Sofitel Hotel.  

Book Drive co-organizer in Philadelphia:

 

John Cannan
Legal Research Center, Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel

3320 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3397

 

For more information regarding this book drive, please contact Sarah Jaramillo, sjaramillo@law.fordham.edu or John Cannan, jc3238@drexel.edu.

PRIOR PROJECTS:

2010: Reach Out and Read  Donations benefited special needs children in the Denver, CO area.  Working with the organization, “Reach Out and Read Colorado”, we were able to place books with children age 6 month to 5 years, with a special focus on children growing up in poverty.  These books were given out at pediatric checkouts by doctors and nurses.

2009: Uncle Sam Wants Your Books!  Donations benefited the Heather Hill Elementary School in Prince George’s County School District, a Maryland county that borders D.C.  It is the 17th largest school district in the country, with a high population of under-served minorities and immigrants.

2008: A Book for Every Child Donations benefited the Willamette Writers Inc. Books for Kids program, which collects and distributes over 23,000 new and used books every year to underprivileged children and teenagers served by over 50 agencies and organizations throughout Portland, Oregon state, and SW Washington state. Total cash raised: $2,005.

2007: ReCovering New Orleans: One Book at a Time  Donations benefited the Recovery District Schools in New Orleans. The RSD has 21 needy schools under its umbrella including elementary, middle and high schools.

2006: Show Me the Books!  Donations benefitted St. Louis' Central Elementary and Vashon 9th Grade Academy. Under the direction of James Donovan and Ann Pucket, member donations totalled 563 books and $880 were donated before, during and just after the meeting. The Social Responsibilities SIS supplemented the cash donations by adding a $1000 gift from the SIS treasury. The organizers also partnered with a local book shop, Left Bank Books, which sold $1000 in gift cards to be used by the two beneficiary schools for their libraries. Total cash raised: $2,880.

2005: Fiesta of Books!  A tribute to San Antonio's Hispanic cultural heritage.  Fiesta of Books!, under the capable direction of Ron Wheeler and Barbara Lah of the University of New Mexico Law Library, raised $2,200 and more than 450 books for five of the neediest elementary schools in San Antonio.

2004: Make Way!  The theme for the 2004 Book Drive, Make Way!, was based on Boston's beloved children's book "Make Way for Ducklings" by Robert McCloskey (The Viking Press, New York, 1941). The 2004 Make Way! Book Drive raised a total of 562 books and $1,721 in monetary donations - nearly triple the previous year's donations, and an incredible gift to this year's recipient - Read Boston, a city initiative whose mission is to ensure that all Boston children are able readers by the time they complete third grade.

2003: Bookless in Seattle  The membership of AALL and the SR-SIS donated over 200 books and $1140 in cash and bookstore gift certificates to the First Place School library during our annual book drive at the 2003 AALL Annual Meeting in Seattle, "Bookless in Seattle." The librarian was happy to receive several copies of the Harry Potter series as well as dictionaries and young adult fiction. First Place is a private non-profit school and social service agency serving children and families in transition, in crisis, or homeless. Most of the families served live below the poverty line and 80% of the families are fleeing domestic violence. The school serves children in grades kindergarten through 7th grade.

2002: Connecting with Kids  The book drive for the 2002 Annual Meeting benefitted the New Beginnings Educational Complex in Kissimmee, FL, which houses two programs -- "Crossroads Center" (middle and high school) and "Cornerstone" (K-12). Both programs educate children and teenagers who have behavioral and academic problems that likely would jeopardize their success in traditional schools. Tim Coggins and Karen Westwood chaired the effort.

2001: Twice as Responsible  What do Anne of Green Gables and Litle Women have in common? They were the two most-donated titles to this year's service project at the Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. For the third year in a row, the SR-SIS organized the project of collecting and donating books to the libraries of public schools in the host cities. Since AALL was held in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the SIS decided to be "twice as responsible" and collect for both school districts. More than 160 books were collected during the Annual Meeting. Most were new, although some gently used titles also made an appearance. In addition, the SR-SIS voted at its business meeting to donate $500 out of its treasury to each school district. Members donated personal checks worth $120. The media directors for both cities' public schools thanked AALL members for their generosity.

2000: Literacy Builds Independence  The SIS once again gave members of AALL a chance to give something back to our host city, Philadelphia, through volunteer efforts for the public school libraries. This year's program offered members a choice of two different days in which to volunteer time. Debra Gniewek, Director of the Public School Library System, made arrangements with different public school librarians for our volunteer efforts. Also, in an effort to make contributions to the schools, children's book donations were encouraged. The SIS itself gives $1,000 yearly to the host city's public school library program.

1999: A Capital Contribution  We selected the Adams Elementary School library as the primary beneficiary of "A Capital Contribution" in Washington, D.C. Teams of volunteers went out to the school on Wednesday, July 21, an effort coordinated by Karen Westwood. It was a huge success, with efforts from about 25-30 members going into the public schools and donating their time and talents to the school libraries in need. These contributions ranged from reading to children, cataloguing, computer troubleshooting, weeding, or clerical help. Carol Billings coordinated the book collection for the D.C. Public schools. At the Social Responsibilities SIS table in the Exhibit Hall Activities Area members collected new books appropriate for kindergarten through sixth grade children. All AALL members were encouraged to purchase one or more books to bring along in their suitcases so the project volunteers could deliver them when they visited the Adams Elementary School.