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Story Of The Month
Every month, we meet
brilliant student writers from all over Chicago. Last week, freshmen from
Chicago Talent Development High School shared their stories with us during an
Adventures in Creative Writing field trip. Check out I Met My Girl by Titus. It will make you melt!
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Calling All Parents!
On March 22, Open Books will team up with
education experts from Kaplan Tutoring for a very special (and completely free)
parent workshop. Kaplan's team will teach parents essential (and often
overlooked) strategies for maximizing reading time with their children. Read more about it!
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Impact By The Book
Did you know that Open Books...
- Collects about 12,000 books each month?
- Puts more than 75 tons of books towards literacy (not landfill) each year?
- Recently started a book grant program for underserved students?
- Has more than 50,000 books for sale in our store and online, the proceeds from which help support our literacy programs?
Get involved! We happily accept book donations (and are open for shopping!) at the store (213 W. Institute), Monday through Saturday, 10am to 7pm. Have a lot of books to donate? We can also arrange pickup in Chicago. Get more information now!
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Spring Cleaning For Literacy!
Remember that saying "one man's trash is another man's
treasure?" Well, this March, last year's impulse buys and gift subscriptions
can help the literacy cause! We are currently seeking picture frames (all
sizes, colors, and designs) and old magazines.
E-mail
literacy@open-books.org
to arrange
your donation.
*Note: please do not
drop off magazines with your regular book donation. Deadline for magazine donations is April 1.
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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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Dear
Open Books friends,
It's true: spring is almost here! As you begin dusting off
the patio furniture and retiring the floor length parka, I hope you'll
consider
starting the season with some of the many exciting opportunities at Open
Books.
This spring, we will continue to write, read, and get jazzed
about books with students of all ages and backgrounds. We will host field trips
for hundreds of students from around the corner and as far away as Gary,
Indiana. We will put new books in the hands of our 200 Little Buddies. We will provide programs and Wordshops
for parents, teens, and local writers -- and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
If you've been waiting for the right time to get involved with Open Books, this
is it. Come buy a book to read in the park, volunteer with one of our programs,
make a book or financial donation, or introduce us to some dedicated teachers
in your lives. You can choose how you
serve the mission, and there really is something for everyone!
Thank you for all that you've done and continue to do. Your
service is the impact; don't forget
that together, there is much we can do to reverse the spread of illiteracy in
Chicago and beyond!
Anna Piepmeyer
Open Books Program Director |
Spring Is For Wordshops!
This spring, Open Books will premiere its newest creation:
Wordshops!
These literacy- and literary- themed classes are guaranteed to kick your creative
side straight out of hibernation.
Read below about our two upcoming classes, and stay tuned for our summer
schedule.
Zines and Thieves
Wondering what to do with that
gigantic pile of writing sitting on your desk? Stop waiting for someone to discover
your talent and publish it yourself! Zines and Thieves is
FREE and open to students in 7th-12th grade. Sign up here!
Adult Creative Writing
At Open Books, one of our core beliefs is that
everyone has a story to tell. This spring, we want to hear yours! Join us
for five weeks this spring as we read, discuss, and write stories and poems
about our lives, families, and neighborhoods. Creative Writing sessions are
FREE and open to the public; registration required. Read more or sign up now!
Think you have what it takes to be a fearless Wordshop
leader? Open Books is accepting proposals for summer and fall Wordshops, and
we'd love to include yours! We'll consider one-time, multi-session, or year
round offerings. Fill out our super short form and let us know how you plan to inspire students! |
Join the Open
Books Associate Board for ReadOn 2010!, our first annual read-a-thon to
raise funds for our literacy programming! By signing up as a Reader
and collecting pledges, you'll help us spread the love of reading and
writing
to the 3,000+ children we serve,
including those in our one-on-one Buddies
program in Chicago schools.
WHEN:
May 1-26,
2010
WHO:
Readers of all ages,
around Chicago and across the country! Adults (participants 13 and
older) will
track their progress by pages read and children (participants under age
13)
will track books read.
HOW:
Sign up as a Reader,
gather pledges, and read your way to your goal! Don't have time to
participate?
You can sponsor any participating Reader, or one of our participating
Buddies
schools.
PRIZES:
All Readers will be
entered in a raffle. We have special prizes for top fundraisers and
readers,
too!
EVENTS:
Read-ins, book
discussions, author events, and more!
SIGN UP TODAY!
http://www.open-books.org/events/readon2010
Have
questions or want additional information? Contact Stacy Shafer Peterson, ssp@open-books.org312.475.1355 x117 |
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