Beginning on March 1, Book Club members, along with the club’s advisor, Mrs. Snyder, will be hosting a Book Drive. Books will be collected in boxes that can be found in several different locations throughout the school. Collections will run until March 30.
Mrs. Snyder explains the importance of hosting a book drive to help those who do not have easy access to books, saying, “I think philanthropy is such an important facet of any club. We are so privileged here in SHSD, so I love the idea of giving the gift of reading to schools and libraries in need.”
The Book Drive is being held through the nonprofit organization BookSmiles. According to their website, the organization “promotes literacy and the joy of reading by giving books to children throughout Philadelphia and New Jersey.”
The website further explains that BookSmiles “provide[s] students and younger siblings with high-quality new or gently used books, laying the groundwork for academic success. Educators – especially those representing Title I schools – receive books for classroom libraries, for students to keep at home and for pop-up book fairs.”
BookSmiles was founded by Larry Abrams, who has had an immense love for reading since the age of three. Abrams was inspired to create this organization after an interaction with a student who was unable to read to her daughter. Abrams asked the student what she was reading to her 2-year-old daughter and she replied explaining that her daughter was too young to understand and that “reading to children just isn’t part of [her] culture.”
In an article from “The Sun Newspapers”, Abrams explained that he “was ashamed, because [he] didn’t have any children’s books to give to this student of [his].”
Since Abrams founded the organization in 2017, 1,107,671 books have been distributed.
BookSmiles offers a number of ways to get involved. This includes, volunteering to sort, holding book drives, becoming an ambassador, painting a collection bin, holding a Facebook fundraiser, and several ways to donate.
As March quickly approaches the Book Club is eager to begin collecting books to send to BookSmiles in order to make sure everyone has access to literature. Book Club member, Morgan Sikes ‘24, adds, “As an avid reader, I understand how expensive it can be to have a vast collection of books. But I also understand the emotional and psychological aspects of owning books. It’s fantastic that the BHS Book Club is partaking in a book drive this year, and I’m excited to expand the libraries of those with limited reading resources.”
