I recently received an email from Julie Bennett, who is senior acquisitions editor for Ten Speed Press in Berkeley, California, about The Build-A-Library Project. As a member of two mother-daughter book clubs and author of this  Web site, books are a big part of my life and dear to my heart. I’m making a contribution to the efforts. I will also approach other members of my book clubs to request that we make a group donation.

Please read Julie’s request below, and if you feel as strongly about the cause as we do, make a donation to the project today.

Here is the information from Julie:

“As some of you know, in the last year I’ve been volunteering for Room to Read (www.roomtoread.org), an organization founded by former Microsoft executive John Wood (author of Leaving Microsoft to Change the World). Room to Read builds schools, libraries, and computer labs; funds scholarships for girls; and publishes children’s books in developing countries in Asia and Africa.

Last month I heard John speak at the annual San Francisco fundraiser and was blown away by how much his organization accomplishes with relatively small amounts of money–roughly $250 to educate a girl for an entire year, and about $10,000 to construct a library AND fill it with books, puzzles, games, and furniture.

Because this organization does so much with so little (for people who often have so little), I wanted to do more than sort books in a warehouse or staff a donation table. So I’m rallying my family, friends, coworkers, and fellow publishing professionals to help raise enough money to build a library in Vietnam (exact location to be determined by Room to Read once we raise a good portion of the funds).

The cost of funding a library construction project includes bilingual books for kids ages 3-16, the creation of a child-friendly learning environment, posters and educational games, teacher training, and support for the library’s first three years—it’s an all-inclusive deal!

If you want to help me (please, please, please), here’s what you can do:

• Go to http://www.roomtoread.org/involvement/donate.html and make a donation (big, small, or otherwise). In the “Special Instructions” portion of the online or mail-in form (and in the memo section of your check, if donating that way), please write “Julie Bennett’s Build-a-Library Project” so the donation gets applied to our library in Vietnam.
• Make a donation in honor of a friend, family member, coworker, your kids–and build up serious karma points with your holiday giving. You can download a gift card to send to your honoree once you donate (or in the “Special Instructions” box, request that a gift card be sent to you; be sure to include your contact information). Please also write “Julie Bennett’s Build-a-Library Project” in that same “Special Instructions” box so the donation gets applied to our library in Vietnam.
• If your company offers corporate matching, beg, plead, or otherwise convince them to kick in for this donation. And remember to reference “Julie Bennett’s Build-a-Library Project” in the “Special Instructions” box so the donation gets applied to our library in Vietnam.
• Forward this email to everyone you know who loves and appreciates books and wants to be more than a slave to soul-sucking consumerism this holiday season!
• Send me new (not used) children’s books to add to the donation being made by Tricycle Press (the children’s book imprint of my generous employer, Ten Speed Press). I’ll be packing up boxes of books and driving them to Room to Read’s partner warehouse in the Bay Area for shipping overseas. My address is below.
• If you work for a children’s publisher and want to donate more than just a few books (like hundreds or thousands) or you want to set up a regular donation cycle, call or email me and I’ll hook you up with Room to Read’s publishing liaison. Scholastic, Chronicle, HarperCollins, McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Reader’s Digest, and others have already jumped on the donation bandwagon.

All of your donations are tax deductible (if you donate online, tax documents are automatically generated that you can print out; if you donate by mail or phone, or donate books, tax docs will be mailed to you).

Three more cool things: once we’ve raised this money, Room to Read will send me updates on the construction of our library, including photos, which I’ll share with everyone. Once the construction is finished, a plaque commemorating our Build-a-Library Project will be hung in the library. And if you happen to travel to Vietnam, you can even visit our library.

Thanks for reading this, even bigger thanks if you donate, and happy holidays!”

Warm regards,

Julie Bennett

Senior Acquisitions Manager

Ten Speed Press

999 Harrison Street

Berkeley, CA 94710

510-559-1600

www.tenspeed.com