Thanks to Nat for a great ‘starving artist’ way to support the survivors of the Katrina mess. As the New Orleans libraries are restocking, consider giving them a book. Or six. Or the twelve stacked on the stairs because they won’t fit on the shelf. They could really use a hand, and it costs less than you think.
Children’s books are still needed. SCBWI primarily concentrated their ‘Comfort Kits’ (which included books, a soft toy, toothbrush and flashlight) on the outlying states who needed hurricane assistance, like Mississippi or Alabama, but the Louisiana Department of Education has information to help you find out how to help New Orleans schools and kids too.
Did you know that for every fifteen books a teen reviews on Young Adult Books Central they have the opportunity to win books? Not a bad idea, that. This site also alerts readers to publisher-sponsored giveaways and contests, which is a great reason to check it out.
Meanwhile, HarperCollins has a new YA lit newsletter as of January. At least I think it’s YA lit… it looks like it’s Chick Lit Lite, since it’s a.) pink and b.) doesn’t seem to have too much for the guys… but anyway, it’s HipLit, the latest offerings that people are talking about, so check it out.
A fun and funny theme for the Fourth Annual Arne Nixon Children’s Center Secret Garden Party — cats. They’re even celebrating bad kitties (as found in Nick Bruel’s picture book of the same title) and the fact that their comparative literature collection has just been gifted with hundreds of children’s books about cats. No one knows what else is going on (thus the ‘secret’ part of the “secret garden” title), but you can find out if you go. It’s a fundraiser – so the starving artist thing doesn’t quite work, but if you love children’s books (not YA, but children’s), this is the gig for you.
ACTUALLY, let me correct myself:
The New Orleans Public Library has created a FAQ to aid those persons desirous of lending a helping hand to that institution. In a nutshell, they ask the public to donate money over books:
Does the library accept book donations?
Yes. However, due to storage and staff limitations, we ask that donors consider a few suggestions:
If you are a publisher, please contact us in advance at [email protected] before shipping large quantities of books.
If you are an individual sending your own used books, please consider making a cash donation instead.
As the NOPL states:
What is the best way to help New Orleans Public Library?
Monetary donations are the best way to help the library rebuild (link here to donate online). If you would rather mail your donation, please make your check payable to NOPL Foundation and send it to New Orleans Public Library Foundation, 219 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70112.
While packaging up your old books and mailing them off might seem the perfect solution to the NOPL’s problems, do trust that the library better knows its own needs. Keep in mind that a great many books donated to libraries everywhere prove to be non-useful to those institutions; so, if you are moved to help, send money instead. If you want to support the New Orleans libraries with your old books, you can best do so by selling them yourself and giving the proceeds to the NOPL.