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Up And Coming
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Open Books Orientations
September 2
September 16
VWrite application extension
materials now due by September 7
Open Books Buddies volunteer training
September 10
Banned Books Week
September 26 - October 3
Check our Events page
for full details and other upcoming happenings!
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Open Mic:
Neci Riley
Neci Riley has been an inspiration to all of us at Open Books! She is
not only a fantastic writing coach, but also helped us out with Chicago
Reads Day, where she introduced an audacious group of pre-K students to
the magic of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (an Open Books favorite). Find out more about this awesome volunteer...
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Paper and Paint and Plumbing, Oh My!
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Do you want to
make a significant impact on Open Books' new space? Consider a gift in kind! We're looking for PAINT, FURNITURE, FIXTURES, PERFORMERS, and MORE!
See our wishlist and find out how you can help!
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GreatNonprofits.org
is looking for the country's best youth-focused nonprofits. You can help by posting a quick review of your experience with Open Books! It's easy, only takes about 3 minutes, and will help us recruit
donors and volunteers so we can continue expanding our programs citywide. Plus, you'll have a chance
to win prizes from Birkenstock, Cliff Bars, Wild Planet Toys, Greyson Bakery, and more! The organization with the most reviews in September will also be featured on
Guidestar, a key site for philanthropic research on
the Web.
Go to "Find Reviews" at
www.greatnonprofits.org and search for
OPEN BOOKS LTD.
to help the cause!
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Stories Of The Month
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Candy, pop, cake, ice cream...and cat food?! Check out some of our favorite food-related field trip stories this month!
A Funny Day
by Kyree
and
A Good Day
by Dominique
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Have you moved? Changed email addresses? Altered your schedule for volunteering?
Let us know at
updates@open-books.org!
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Happy September,
Friends of Open Books!
It's our favorite time of year: back-to-school (and National Literacy Month)! We can't wait to meet scores of unforgettable students and read and write thousands of enchanting stories together this fall. But none of that is possible without YOU!
Open Books needs your RSVP for programs ASAP, pretty please! Here's the 411 on our areas of highest volunteer need:
* Open Books Buddies needs weekly, daytime reading volunteers at schools in Bronzeville, South Loop/Chinatown, Near North, West Town, Bucktown, Old Irving Park, and Evanston. It's a ton of fun, and sites and times are now available on our Volunteer page. Training will be held from noon-1 p.m. on September 10. Please mark your calendar!
* VWrite needs volunteers to mentor high school juniors in college and career writing and planning. Volunteers set their own schedule with their student and, after a meet-up event, communicate via phone and email. This is a great program for people who work during the day or live far away from the neighborhoods above. Send us your application materials now! The deadline has been extended to Sept. 7!
Of course, for folks who don't fit into the programs above, we have lots of other ways to get involved. We'd love your help with WeWrite workshops, creative writing field trips, book sorting, and more. Go to www.open-books.org for the scoop! |
 Help us spread the word! Now that we know a good chunk of the specifics for Open Books' fall literacy programs, we could really use your help finding folks to staff them. Every volunteer counts, and we meet the greatest people through other volunteers! Could you take a moment to: - mention Open Books to friends, family, or coworkers? - share our Volunteer link on your blog, Facebook, Twitter or other web pages? - forward this email to your contacts? - print and post this flyer at your office, school or community hotspots? - post a review at greatnonprofits.org? - spread the word in some other creative way we're not thinking of?  Thanks so much to everyone who joined Open Books for Chicago Reads Day on August 13! All told, 40 Open Books staffers, interns, and volunteers read with 400 students at Head Start sites in 6 neighborhoods. Some pre-K kids were begging to hear stories twice even though it was time for recess. Wow! That's what we call spreading the love of reading. |
Declare your
love of reading and become an
Open Books Member!
With the upcoming grand opening of our nonprofit bookstore and literacy center, this
fall will be the most exciting time in the history of Open Books -- and we'd love for YOU to be
involved! You'll help make crucial literacy programming possible across the
city, you'll be on the inside track for everything we do, and you'll get
special perks in the store and at our events. As a member, you'll enjoy:
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Personalized
bookstore fireplace tile (Founding members only)
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Upgraded
frequent buyer program
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Discount
on store merchandise
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Admission
to special warehouse sales
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Recognition
in Open Books annual report
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Complimentary
gift wrapping
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Advance
notice of volunteer opportunities
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Annual
members-only open house invitation
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Program
and event email alerts
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Open
Books t-shirt
The future of Open Books
and the expansion of our programs depend on the dedication of generous donors
like you. With your help, we'll keep enriching lives across the city through
reading, writing, and the GRAND power of used books.
Significant savings for students, seniors, and teachers! Looking for a way to express your admiration and affection for a special person or event? Bookshelf plates, fireplace tiles, and other naming opportunities are now on sale for our new store! Make your mark and help spread the love of literacy! The Open Books team looks forward to hearing from you soon.:)
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Open Books is a nonprofit social venture that operates an extraordinary bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes passionate volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago and beyond. We enhance lives through reading, writing, and the NEWSWORTHY power of used books. To learn more about us and find out how you can get involved, visit us at http://www.open-books.org!
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