Adopt a Book is also in need of tote bags and bookmarks to include with the books they donate. Many of the children receiving these books have never owned a book of their own and would appreciate a bookmark to mark their space in their book as well as a tote bag to store their newly owned book.
Financial donations are always a need to cover the cost of delivery in donating the books in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Hannah and Alex receive requests for books every week.
Adopt a Book does not accept encyclopedias, manuals, magazines, textbooks, books being recycled from school libraries or adult books. If there are books that have been colored in or have missing pages,
these books are also not accepted. Books must be close to new or very gently used and current.
Adopt a Book will accept all donated children’s books, and count them following a Drive. The books that children would not enjoy (e.g., home building, self improvement), or are in bad shape, are given to a local used-goods store such as Goodwill. If the books are badly torn or damaged they are recycled.
Church groups, Brownie and Cub Scout troops, high-income schools, neighborhoods and local businesses have been successful in leading book drives for Adopt a Book. If you or your group is interested in hosting a book drive, you can contact us at info@adoptabookohio.org. We will help you create flyers that you can share with others about your drive and will help you promote your drive via social media and press releases.
Steps to help you get started:
- Select a coordinator to maintain contact with Adopt a Book
Adopt a Book works with the coordinator to select an appropriate time of year, organize materials, and design a method for the book drive that best suits your organization. Book drives are as unique as the organizations hosting them. There are at least three ways to support Adopt a Book: collect new children’s books, collect monetary contributions, and/or donate books on-line or in-person. By building on employee efforts and activities already in existence and/or helping to create new ones, Adopt a Book can assist you in creating a successful model for your particular book drive.
- Set a Goal
Choose a goal that is challenging, yet attainable. Organizations that offer incentives for participation, stage a friendly competition for prizes, and participate by matching employee donations consistently yield the best results—lots of books and high employee morale.
- Publicize the Book Drive and Hold a Kick-Off Event
A “kick-off” event provides a public opportunity to talk more about children’s literacy and strengthen the partnership between your organization and Adopt a Book. An organization may plan a separate function for this event or include it as part of a regularly-scheduled meeting. The event might feature a guest speaker, children’s stories read aloud, or bookmark construction.
- Hold the Book Drive and Provide Frequent Updates for Your Organization
Once the book drive is underway, keep participants engaged by providing frequent updates via email or by posting announcements. Be sure to include the number of new children’s books collected as well as the number still needed to reach the goal. Periodic incentives (e.g., raffle prizes) help to keep individuals motivated.
- Celebrate the Conclusion of the Book Drive and Attend a Reading Event
After the book drive, it is encouraged that your organization submit pictures of the books donated along with the group or individual that collected the books. The books can then be dropped off at a local Mattress Firm store or delivered directly to Adopt a Book by scheduling directly with us.
Hannah and Alex collect books for infants through teens. However, the biggest need for books is for pre-kindergarten through third grade, when the love of reading is instilled.
The type of books we are in most need of are:
- Baby Board Books
- Children’s Picture Books
- Children’s Fiction and Non-Fiction
- Juvenile Literature
- Children’s Dictionaries and Cookbooks
- Children’s Books with Universal Themes (friendship, animals, science, etc.)
- Parenting Books
- Multicultural Children’s Books
