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Get ready to spread the joy of reading on National Donate a Book Day, celebrated on April 14! This day was created to encourage people to donate books to those in need and promote literacy around the world. Did you know that the first book donation program was started in the United States in the late 19th century by Melvil Dewey, creator of the Dewey Decimal System? Since then, this day has been celebrated annually as a way to give back and share the gift of knowledge with others. So gather up your gently used books and make someone's day brighter by donating them on this special holiday!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1876</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>American Library Association Formation</div><div class='timeline-text'>The American Library Association (ALA) was founded to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1896</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Book Donation Program</div><div class='timeline-text'>Melvil Dewey, creator of the Dewey Decimal System, started the first book donation program in the United States.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1964</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Civil Rights Act & Public Libraries</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Civil Rights Act brought public libraries to the forefront as a resource for all, necessitating more book donations to supply growing demand.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1998</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Book Organization Expansion</div><div class='timeline-text'>Nonprofit organization First Book expanded nationwide, promoting equal access to education through book donations.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2010</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Digital era Book Donations</div><div class='timeline-text'>With the rise of eBooks and digital reading, physical book donations became a more focused effort to reach areas without digital access.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Host a book swap party</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Invite friends and family over for a book swap party! Everyone can bring books they no longer want and trade with others. This is a great way to refresh your reading collection and promote the spirit of giving on National Donate a Book Day.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Donate books to a local library or school</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Contact your local library or school to see if they are accepting book donations. This is a great way to give back to your community and support literacy.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Volunteer at a book drive or book donation event</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Find out if there are any book drives or book donation events happening in your area on National Donate a Book Day. Offer to volunteer and help collect, sort, and distribute donated books.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Organize a book donation campaign</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Start a book donation campaign in your community or workplace. Encourage others to donate books and spread awareness about the importance of reading and donating books.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Read to children or seniors</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Visit a local children's hospital, senior center, or retirement home and read books to the patients or residents. This is a heartwarming way to celebrate National Donate a Book Day and bring joy to others through the power of reading.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It promotes literacy and education</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>By donating a book, you are helping to provide access to literature and resources for those who may not have it. This can have a great impact on promoting reading and knowledge among individuals, which is important for personal growth and development.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Books can be expensive</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>For some families or individuals, purchasing books may not be feasible due to financial constraints. National Donate a Book Day provides an opportunity to give the gift of books to those who may not have access otherwise. This can help promote equity in education and enhance opportunities for learning.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It encourages generosity and community involvement</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Donating a book is a simple act of giving that can make a big difference. It allows individuals to come together as a community and support a common cause - promoting literacy and education for all. National Donate a Book Day brings attention to the importance of giving back and being involved in your community.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>National Donate a Book Day empowers non-English speakers</h3><p class='facts-content'>Book donations are not just for native English speakers. Donated books in different languages help non-native speakers feel more included and enable them to improve their language skills.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Donated books contribute to classroom libraries</h3><p class='facts-content'>Schools, particularly in low-income areas, rely on donated books to build classroom libraries, providing students with a wider range of reading material and encouraging a love for reading.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Books donated on this day have global reach</h3><p class='facts-content'>Donations on National Donate a Book Day do not simply stay local; many are distributed globally to countries where books are scarce and literacy rates are low.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Ebook donations have also gained popularity</h3><p class='facts-content'>While physical books are commonly donated, with the rise of digital reading, ebook donations have also become significant contributors to literacy promotion on National Donate a Book Day. These are especially beneficial in areas with limited physical storage space.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Book donations support literacy programs</h3><p class='facts-content'>Donated books serve as critical resources for various literacy programs, offering learning materials for adult learners, prison education programs, and afterschool initiatives for kids.</p></div></div>
National Donate a Book Day is celebrated on April 14th every year. In 2024 National Donate a Book Day will occur on a Sunday.
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