World Book Night (WBN) “is dedicated to spreading the love of reading, person to person.” The 2014 culminating event — givers each distributing free books to 20 people in their communities — will be April 23rd. Applications to be a host library or giver are due January 5, 2014.
What is WBN?
“Each year, 30- 35 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 geography.”
Info about Being a Host Library
“World Book Night U.S. library organizational participants make a commitment to (1) be a site for individual book giver volunteers to pick up their shipment of books and (2) be an active advocate in their community for World Book Night U.S. and spreading the love of reading, person to person.” Click on both links above for specific details, a timeline, the application, and contacts to whom to direct questions. ALA is hosting the short, online application this year, and apps must be submitted by January 5, 2014.
Info about Being a Giver
“Volunteer book givers are vital to World Book Night U.S. On April 23, 2013, U.S. book givers personally handed out half a million printed books in 6,200 towns and cities across the country. You can see some of their experiences here. Applications to become a WBN 2014 Book Giver will be [online soon]. Come back through Jan. 5, 2014 to read up on the guidelines and then apply. Also read up on the book picks beforehand.” Basically, givers select a tile from the 2014 list of books, pick up their box of 20 books from the library or bookstore they choose from the list, and then on April 23, 2014, they distribute the books to 20 people in their community who likely are light or non-readers. Librarians may offer their library as a host site and be a giver, but those are separate applications and responsibilities. Click on both links above for specific details, a timeline, the soon-to-be-posted application, and contacts to whom to direct questions.