World Book Night - April 23, 2013

     On Saturday, we took a road trip to Sleepygirl's Used Books in Joplin, MO so my cousin could pick up her box of books for World Book Night. This is the second year she has been a giver for World Book Night. Last year, her book was The Hunger Games, which was her first choice. This year, she is giving out The Lightning Thief, which was also her first choice.
     On Tuesday, April 23rd, she will be delivering her books to local schools, the public library, and a couple other locations.
     I plan on applying to be a giver next year. The application process starts around November. See below on how to apply.



How it works:
Each year, 30 books are chosen by an independent panel of librarians and booksellers. The authors of the books waive their royalties and the publishers agree to pay the costs of producing the specially-printed World Book Night U.S. editions. Bookstores and libraries sign up to be community host locations for the volunteer book givers. 

After the book titles are announced, members of the public apply to personally hand out 20 copies of a particular title in their community. World Book Night U.S. vets the applications, and the givers are chosen based on their ability to reach light and non-readers. The selected givers choose a local participating bookstore or library from which to pick up the 20 copies of their book, and World Book Night U.S. delivers the books to these host locations.

Givers pick up their books in the week before World Book Night.  On April 23rd, they give their books to those who don’t regularly read and/or people who don’t normally have access to printed books, for reasons of means or access.   

Be a Book Giver:
Volunteer book givers are central to World Book Night U.S., putting wonderful books into the hands of light or non-readers in their communities.

On April 23, 2012, U.S. book givers personally handed out half a million printed books in 5,800 towns and cities across the country. And we’re doing it again together this year!

We provide the free books, and the book givers seek out light or non-readers, especially people who may not have access to printed books for reasons of means or geography. Book givers receive 20 free paperback copies of one World Book Night title, not too many to carry but enough to share with a good number of potential new readers.

Applications to become a WBN 2013 Book Giver are now closed.  To participate in WBN 2014, please sign up for our newsletter to ensure you are getting our news and updates. Meanwhile, don't forget to check our 2013 Book Picks; they are a great reading list!

Thank you for supporting World Book Night U.S.!