If you were around campus last year between Thanksgiving and Finals week, you probably saw Christmas trees bedecked with twinkling lights and hundreds of gift tags in Barber Hall and the Library. These Book Giving Trees are a sure sign that the Library's favorite project is in full swing: the Holiday Book Drive! The Library, each holiday season, collects hundreds of books to give to local school children. Each tag on the Book Giving Trees has information about one child’s favorite books, and if you pick up one of the tags, you get to be the lucky person who buys that child a book they will cherish forever.
I love buying books for the children I find on the Book Giving Trees; I always find a little kid who has the same interests as I do. I’ve given craft books, cook books, historical novels, fantasy books—all books that I would read in a heartbeat. I feel a connection with each child I buy a book for, and I can only imagine that, as she opens up her package and finds Esperanza, Rising, or he pulls off the gift wrap to Coraline, they feel something, too. That they feel excited, loved, and inspired.
And isn’t that what a holiday book drive should be about? A community coming together to care for their children, to give them the gift of imagination, adventure, knowledge, and joy? I certainly think so.
This year, I hope everyone on our campus (and beyond!) is able to feel the sense of unity and connection I feel when giving books to the drive. So here’s how you can help:
Find one of our Book Giving Trees between November 25 and December 11. We’ll have them set up in Barber Hall, the Library, and around the community. Choose a wish tag (or two or three) and buy a new book that the child on the tag might like. Return the unwrapped book and the tag to the Library or to any of the boxes under the Book Giving Trees. Feel your heart grow three sizes.
Buy books from our Amazon Wishlists. Your purchase will be shipped directly to the Library.
Make a donation directly to the Library. We’ll do the book shopping, and you can still feel a warmth in your chest.
Join the Library for a bit of gift wrapping. We’ll have close to a thousand books to gift wrap, and any help we can get would be most appreciated. (Gift wrap party details coming soon!)
All book or money donations are due December 11. The Library thanks you for any amount of help you can give during the book drive!
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