This is how it worked: you applied to be a "Giver" on the WBN website, and picked three titles you would like to hand out. The WBN people confirmed you as a giver, and told you which book you would be handing out. Each Giver received 20 copies of their book and picked them up at predetermined sites in their city. My B&N was one of the pick up sites, and many independent bookstores and libraries across the US were also pick up sites. So many places had Giver receptions and fun parties to celebrate this event. My store had about 10 Givers pick up their boxes last Monday night, and they stayed to eat snacks and talk about why they picked their book and where they were going to hand them out. We had one woman planning on standing in front of a local grocery store to hand them out, another was a school librarian who was going to hand them out at school. Another Giver was teaming up with her daughter to hand them out to her daughter's friends, and another was handing them out to patients at a dialysis unit in one of our local hospitals. So many great ideas!
So yesterday was the big day. I had to work last night, so I had to give out my books during the day. And what better place to hand out The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie than a local alternative high school here in Cedar Rapids. Even better--a fellow co-worker had also picked that book, so we had 40 copies to give away to the students at Metro. We went to Metro on their lunch break and walked around with one of the teachers while she pointed out kids she knew would love to have a copy of their own. Many of the kids had already read the book, but were thrilled to have a copy to keep.
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| Our first two recipients |
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| "Pizza and a book!" |
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| Fellow bookseller Kara, Me, and Mary from Metro School |
Last night at our store we had a reception for Givers to come back and tell us about their experiences. We didn't have much of a crowd, but those who came were glowing from their experience as a Giver. Amanda and our manager, Diane, drove around to car dealerships and gave away books; Diane even stopped people on the street to hand out books. Another employee was heading home to his apartment complex to hand out Ender's Game to fellow apartment dwellers. A part time bookseller took a long lunch from her other job and drove to fire stations to gift books. Jessica, another part time bookseller, was heading to the police department with her novels to hand out to the late shift staff.
What can I say? I am surrounded by books every day I work. I am a lucky person to be around something I love so much all the time. It was a joy to be able to walk up to a person and say "It's World Book Night/Day! Here's a book for you." No expectations, no catch. Just a free book. No "I can get it cheaper online." No "I can only buy one book today." No "My kid has to read a book for school and hates to read. What do you suggest?" None of that. Just pure fun.
If you would like to be a Giver next year, visit the World Book Night website and sign up for their newsletter. I will definitely apply to be a Giver again in 2013!
That is so fabulous! And go Team Cedar Rapids!!!!
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