| What's In Store...For The Holidays
With more than 50,000 amazing books in stock, sales from which all go to help support literacy programming, the Open Books store is the perfect place for your holiday shopping this year. Here are a few special things to make it even more enticing!
All Month:
20% off all
Business, Religion, and Holiday books!
Just In Time:
The Open Books 2010 Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for the perfect present for everyone on your list? The Open Books Store team has put together a glorious Holiday Gift Guide for your last-minute shopping!
Check out recommendations from Kevin, Lizzy, and David!
December 18,
10am - 4pm:
Hot Cider,
Hot Popcorn,
And Free
Gift Wrapping!
What holiday purchase can both fill a stocking and provide essential literacy programming to thousands of students in Chicago and beyond? A gift from Open Books! And what could make shopping at Open Books even more festive? Free gift wrapping for your purchases, and popcorn and hot cider while you browse!
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| Vol-Star Of
The Month:
Paul Brenzel!
Our final vol-star of 2010 is none other than the incredible Paul Brenzel!
Read on to see why we'd be lost without him, and in which circumstances he is precise with his pronouns (and why you ought to be, too).
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Join The Club!
| Being an member of Open Books has its perks: a free shirt or tote bag, advance admission to our special sales, extra discounts in the store and at our events, and more!
2011 memberships are on sale now! Find out more and join us!
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Dear friends of Open Books,
What an incredible year it's been! We have so much to celebrate, and we owe it all to you.As we've shared over the last twelve months, 2010 was a year of growth for Open Books in many ways: expanding our programs, working with so many of you, and settling into our first full year as an operating bookstore. Here are some of the highlights of what happened. (For more great memories, check out the site, the blog, and the photos!) In 2010 we had the opportunity to learn from, grow with, and serve more high-need children and youth than ever before: - Over 400 struggling elementary school students received individual reading attention from more than 200 volunteers through Open Books Buddies, which operates in 11 Chicago schools in high-need communities across the city. - With the support of 100 volunteer writing coaches, 2,600 students wrote, published, and performed stories and poems about their lives, choices, and neighborhoods during Adventures in Creative Writing field trips 
- 52 juniors from Gage Park High School were each paired with a professional mentor (more fantastic volunteers!) in our VWrite program. (47% reported that the program changed their after-high school plans, motivating them to attend college and set higher goals for themselves as they work toward graduation.)
And while BOOKSTORES tend to be about words, our first year has resulted in some pretty impressive numbers:
- With nearly 12,000 books donated each month, 100 store volunteers, 3 interns and 1 new employee, the Open Books store has hosted 11 literary events and sold more than 40,000 books to support literacy.
The emotions elicited by these numbers could fill volumes. We are humbled and amazed by everything that has transpired over the course of 2010 and by everyone who has helped make it all happen. Whether you have donated or purchased a book, contributed your time or money, or simply spread the word about Open Books to your nearest and dearest, we couldn't have done it without your support. Thank you for all that you do, and we can't wait to find more to celebrate in 2011!
- The Open Books Team
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The Half Off Sale Returns!
Just in time for the holidays, our already
inexpensive books got cheaper! Stock up on books for tots, teens, and adults at Open Books' famous Half Off Sale.
For one weekend only, ALL books in the store will be marked 50% off, including rare and autographed books! The store has over 50,000 titles that are organized and inventoried, so bring your holiday gift list in too. And, as always, every dollar spent at Open Books helps support our literacy programs.
December 11-12
10am - 7pm
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The Open Booksmobile:
How You Can Help Open Books
Stay On The Move!
Every month, we're out on the road (in rented cars) picking up thousands of books for our store, programs, and students. Now, we're ready to move forward and make even more book collection and distribution possible -- and you can help make it happen!
With the purchase of the first-ever Open Booksmobile, we'll be able to...
* Collect an average of 15,000 used books each month to help support our literacy programs.
* Give thousands of books to our most in-need students at special school Booksmobile Giveaway Days.
* Increase our book grant program for adults at shelters, clinics, and other community centers. (Want to learn more about this program? Read about our day at Neopolitan Lighthouse shelter in Humboldt Park.)
* Spread the love of reading all around the city at fairs, festivals, and events.
Help make it happen...Donate Now!
PS: The Open Booksmobile is a community effort, and we want to recognize everyone who helps make it happen! So, to show the world who powers our pickups, we'll be delighted to recognize your contribution with your name on the side of the van, bumper stickers, custom messages, and more.
Learn more and get started!
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Revelry Recap
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