The Need for Books

Walt Disney, is quoted as saying, “There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.”

Few would disagree. Books hold the treasure of endless hours of adventure and entertainment. Pick the right book and escape to a foreign land, fall in love, engage in espionage or whatever your heart desires for the immediate future.

Although adult learners also work on their math and science skills, books are, in many ways, the center of attention at Literacy Connects. The library sits in the main building and is a clear reminder of the organization’s mission. For staff coming to work in the morning the bookshelves reminds us of our purpose. Passing through the library at the end of the day as we head for home the books are a reminder that returning the next day is imperative because there are still children and adults in our community that need them.

More than 97,000 books passed through Literacy Connects last year.

Of those 97,000 books, 45,000 were donated and 42,000 were purchased by pediatricians participating in the Reach Out and Read Southern Arizona (RORSA) program. Donated books primarily come from past owners who are eager to share. Our promise to Reading Seed students is they get a free book each week. Adult Basic Literacy (ABL) and English Language Acquisition for Adults (ELAA) tutors have access to free books from our library to give to students. Some programs have a small budget to purchase books, but the majority of books are donated.

Books donated to Literacy Connects have a busy road to travel before reaching their final destination of a student’s grateful hands. Our book cleaners come each Friday to take off stickers and labels, erase inscriptions and do everything else they can to make the book look as clean and new as possible. Volunteers then select the books that will be the best fit for their students. Volunteers haul books to schools and libraries. Last year more than 30,000 books were moved from Literacy Connects to locations across town.

Where do our donated books come from? Everywhere. Books are donated from schools, book clubs, neighborhood groups, individuals, churches, teachers and Goodwill of Southern Arizona. Each year, a local nonprofit called Doing Good in the Hood donates books. Last year their donation grew to more than 800 books. More than 10 years ago Bookmans started donating books to nonprofits.

For the past seven years Literacy Connects has partnered with Spring Fling. The five dollar admission fee is waived when a guest brings two books to be donated. During that same period of time Treasure Chest books has donated damaged and remainder (unable to be sold) books. The Scripps Foundation, among others, has also helped by funding the purchase of books.

Literacy Connects also donates books to the surrounding community. Our Little Free Library (https://littlefreelibrary.org) was built by two Raytheon employee volunteers. Anyone is welcome to take a book although most Little Free Libraries work on a ‘take a book give a book’ premise. Last year our Little Free Library put 1400 books into the hands of our neighbors.

While we appreciate the good intention behind book donations, not all books are suitable for our purposes. The books we use serve pre-GED students so the reading level needs to be K-5. Our ELAA and ABL programs need high interest books that are still within a K-5 reading level. We know grownups like to read about grown up topics so oxford picture dictionaries, nonfiction, true stories and short stories are best for our adult students.

To give money to buy books or to give books? That is a good question. When you give money staff can pick out what is the most needed. But book donations are always gratefully received.

What do books mean to Literacy Connects? To Literacy Connects, books mean providing a student the opportunity of finding a treasure bigger than all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.

 We participate in the pride people feel in owning their own books.

 We watch as students build their blocks of reading independence and literacy.

If you’d like to help Literacy Connects this year by donating books please visit “Donate Books” to see a complete list.