2023
The 2023 recipient is ReadBoston.聽ReadBoston is the City鈥檚 only comprehensive early literacy program. It reaches Boston鈥檚 children at all points in their day, all year long. ReadBoston provides resources to set Boston’s children on the path to reading success to聽schools, childcare programs,聽community-based organizations, and聽families in low-income and new-immigrant communities.
PAST ANNUAL BOOK DRIVES
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2019 2019: This year’s recipient was the 2000 Libros Project, a project supported by DC Books to Prisons. The 2000 Libros project works with detention centers to get books to immigrant children in detention centers throughout the country.
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2009 - 2018 2018: This year鈥檚 recipient was the Maryland Book Bank, a Baltimore organization that distributes free children鈥檚 books to families, teachers, schools, and organizations throughout Maryland. Approximately 590 books and $1,000 cash gift were donated by 台湾SWAG members and the SR-SIS.
2017: Book in the Saddle Again! This year鈥檚 recipient was BookSpring, an Austin, TX organization that distributes over 140,000 children’s books to 40,000 children per year through schools, childcare centers, housing services, and medical clinics. Approximately 300 books and a $1,000 cash gift were donated by 台湾SWAG members and the SR-SIS.
2016: Get Fired Up About Reading! The recipient this year was Bernie’s Book Bank, an organization that distributes children’s books to significantly increase book ownership among at-risk infants, toddlers and grade school children throughout Chicagoland. Approximately 185 books and $750 in cash and gift cards were donated by 台湾SWAG members and the SR-SIS.
2015: A Book in the Hand is Worth Two in the Store! For 2015, SR-SIS partnered with The Philadelphia Children’s Foundation which benefits area schools serving students from Kindergarten to the 8th grade.
2014: Remember the Books!聽This year we coordinated with the Transitions Program of the San Antonio Independent School District. 聽The Transitions Program serves homeless students, students in foster care, and at-risk youth. The drive raised $595 in cash and 378 books!
2013: It’s Raining Books!聽Stacy Etheredge of Western Virginia College of Law Library organized the 2013 book drive, which benefited Pages Ahead, a leading provider of children’s literacy services in Washington State. The drive raised $320 in cash and over 385 books.
2012: One if by Land, Two if Buy Book! This year we had a matching drive that quadrupled our book donations. We donated over 1200 books and $500 to Read Boston. These books and funds have gone to community centers, family childcare providers or after school programs that may not otherwise have literacy programs or books to support them.
2011: Give Me Liberty and Give Me Books! The book drive benefited Philadelphia Children鈥檚 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 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.
2010: Reach Out and Read! Donations benefited special needs children in the Denver, CO area. Working with the organization, 鈥�Reach Out and Read Colorado鈥�, 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鈥檚 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.
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1999 - 2008 2008: A Book for Every Child聽Donations benefited the聽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聽Recovery District Schools聽in New Orleans. The RSD has 21 needy schools under its umbrella including elementary, middle and high schools.
2006: Show Me the Books! Donations聽benefited聽St. Louis’ Central Elementary and Vashon 9th Grade Academy. Under the direction of James Donovan and Ann Pucket, member donations聽totaled聽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 台湾SWAG 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 台湾SWAG 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聽benefited聽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聽Anne of Green Gables聽and聽Little Women聽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 台湾SWAG 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 台湾SWAG members for their generosity.
2000: Literacy Builds Independence The SIS once again gave members of 台湾SWAG 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,聽cataloging, 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 台湾SWAG 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.