Give Books

Enrich a Child's Life Through the Gift of Books

Imagine growing up in a home without books. For too many children in Middle Tennessee, it’s a way of life. Families that are struggling to survive economically cannot encourage their children's literacy by purchasing books. It’s also true that many parents in low-income families do not read well themselves ... or may not be able to read at all.  

A True Story:

"We are able to enrich the lives of children and families with the gift of books.  A small gesture, but a big difference.  On Friday, I gave a board book to a 2 year old who came into our office with her mother who was seeking assistance.  Unsolicited and unexpected, which made the gift sweeter.  The litter girl clung to the board book, holding it tight to her chest.  Her mother tried to get her to say thank you, but she was way to shy.  I knelt down, to read a few pages to her, and I was met with the most unexpected huge hug from this little girl.  So, how can we quantify what a gift of a simple little book is, often to families that have so little?  A smile, a hug, a thank you, and hopefully an opportunity for a parent to get more involved with the life of their child."

Big Brothers of Nashville.

At Book’em, we believe that every child needs books of his or her own, in addition to the books they have access to at school or in the local library. Developing a love of books and reading is an important first step for a child to develop a love of learning in general. And when a child loves to learn, opportunities greatly increase.

Book’em now distributes more than 30,000 new books annually to children from lower-income families throughout Middle Tennessee. Our Library Without Walls program works with a variety of schools and community agencies to get books into the hands of the children who need them most.  

Would you be surprised to find out that nearly every one of those books was donated to Book’em? They come from individuals, families, businesses, classrooms, Scout troops, congregations, and community organizations. Whether it's a gift of one book or a thousand, your donation is much appreciated and will be sure to find a good home.  

A big way to help is to conduct a book drive.  Download instructions on how to hold a book drive here.

What Kind of Books are Needed?

• New books for children from birth to age 18. Chapter books for ages 9 through 18 are always needed preferably new, but "gently used" books are also accepted.  We are especially in need of books for grades 3 - 5.
• We gladly accept paperbacks as well as hardcover books. Dictionaries, too!
• If you need ideas about which titles to donate, ask the children's specialist at your local bookstore or library. You can also find lists of award-winners and other recommendations on the Resources page of our web site.  Or, go to Amazon.com and check out our Wish List: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/registry.html/104-6711883-4739104?ie=UTF8&type=wishlist&id=6WTM1INHLLO0

Setting Up a Book Drive:

It's as easy as ...

1. Select a collection site (i.e. cafeteria, lobby, break room) and provide a container such as a gift wrapped box to hold the books. 
    
2. Spread the word. Provide information about Book’em and your book drive in newsletters, bulletin boards, payroll inserts, meeting notices, flyers, posters, etc. Make sure to include an ending date for donations. You may also want to download our book drive poster (8.5 x 11 inches), our book drive information brochure, or a sample article for your newsletter (all are PDF files).
    
3. Collect the books.  

1. We need to know how many books you collected and where to send our thank you! Please fill out the book drive donations form and return it with your books.  

2. Deliver books.  Call 615-255-1820 to set up a delivery time. 
    
3. If you need pick-up, particularly for larger quantities of books, please call the Book’em office at (615) 255-1820 and we will try to set this up.