sign up to be a giver for world book night!

Thanks to my local bookstore email, I just found out about this event called World Book Night, an annual event dedicated to spreading and encouraging the gift of reading through personally handing out books usual non-readers in your local area. The event takes place on April 23 and the U.S. deadline to apply this year is January 25, 2013.

Here's 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.  

I'm taking a look at the 30 book titles available and mulling on the application questions to consider before I send in an application:

• Where do you intend to give away the books?
• To whom do you intend to giveaway books to?
• Why do you want to give books away?

I think this is a wonderful, wonderful thing and lovely idea. Please join in and be a giver on World Book Night - all you have to do is click the big red button on their front page. And if anyone nearby would like to do this with me, please let me know!


P.S. This is my 100th post! Mini celebration for emiliewho:

Gifs from tumblr Nerds in Paradise.