Barnes & Noble Customers Define the True Meaning of
“A Season of Giving”
December 20, 2023 — Blandon, Pa — Judith’s Reading Room, a literacy non-profit, applauds the staff and customers of Barnes & Noble Wyomissing, Pennsylvania for supporting it as their Holiday Book Drive Charity. This holiday season, book lovers donated over 150 children’s books with a cover price value of $1,438.
The organization requested that employees emphasize the donation of teen books. Their efforts proved successful and, as a result, three organizations that provide live-in services for at-risk youth will receive books for their Judith’s Reading Room Book Clubs. Namely: Children’s Home of Easton, Pa; Harkins’ House, Portland, Or; and, Louisiana United Methodist Family & Children’s Services, Ruston, La. Each of these organizations stress the importance of literacy as a significant protective factor for children who come from families dealing with overwhelming issues such as loss of jobs, unsafe neighborhoods or family trauma.
Barnes & Noble Wyomissing, PA Store Manager, Paul Weisser
“Our gratitude cannot be measured. We appreciate the store management for choosing Judith’s Reading Room as their 2023 Holiday Book Drive Charity and profusely thank the associates for understanding the role books can play in helping kids manage tough times. Their effort to encourage patrons to donate a book will give kids the unique, life-changing experience of participating in a book club,” said Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room.
Judith’s Reading Room’s mission is to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy. We have fulfilled that mission since 2010 by establishing 105 libraries in 23 countries (and counting!) with over 132,000 books donated. Applications for the 2024 Freedom Through Literacy Award may be found at www.judithsreadingroom.org. Deadline for applications is February 5, 2024.
KidsBenefit from Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive
Judith’s Reading Room plans to establish kids’ book clubs
November 17, 2023 — Thanks to Barnes & Noble Wyomissing, Pa, Judith’s Reading Room will once again support schools and after school programs with children’s books. For the 4th year in a row, this B&N location selected Judith’s Reading Room as its Holiday Book Drive Charity which runs from November to December 7th.
Most people have heard the words, “Book Club,” but how many relate those words with kids? Since 2015, Judith’s Reading Room has been a leading proponent of book clubs for children. Why? Because book clubs offer children the chance to discuss a book without judgment, listen to different opinions, assume leadership while asking probing questions and to generally understand what’s going on around them.
Judith’s Reading Room reported on the power of kids’ book clubs when it produced the documentary, ‘Cracking Open the Universe,’ that highlighted the importance of literacy as a significant protective factor for at-risk youth. Featured at the 2015 LV Film Festival, it showcased the reality of children who come from families dealing with overwhelming issues such as loss of jobs, unsafe neighborhoods or family trauma. At the invitation of the Children’s Home of Easton, Easton, Pa and Harkins’ House in Portland, Or, the organization’s film crew witnessed kids in the throes of book club sessions. View the documentary HERE.
The Holiday Book Drive runs through December 7, 2023. “Generous B&N customers are encouraged to donate a book at the check out counter and kids will get more than a book this year — they’ll get the unique, life-changing experience of participating in a book club,” said Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room.
Judith’s Reading Room’s mission is to enrich lives and societies by proactively encouraging freedom through literacy. We have fulfilled that mission since 2010 by establishing 105 libraries in 23 countries (and counting!) with over 132,000 books donated.
To apply for the 2023 Judith’s Reading Room’s ‘Freedom Through Literacy Award’ and to learn more about its newest Awards, visit www.judithsreadingroom.org.
Books Not Toys, For a Change..Info & Updates Barnes & Noble Patrons in Wyomissing Help Improve Lives
Judith’s Reading Room, a 501(c)3 based in eastern PA was selected — for the 2nd year in a row — as the Barnes & Noble Wyomissing PA 2021 Holiday Book Drive Charity. From November 1st, and running straight through the holiday season — patrons at the location were able to donate a book or two at checkout for a child in need and forever change that child’s life.
As an alternative to the expected toy shortage this holiday season, Judith’s Reading Room suggests that families consider buying books not toys — books for your family and for families who cannot afford to buy them. Barnes & Noble makes this act of generosity easy.
“Since Judith’s Reading Room’s inception in 2010, Barnes & Noble has placed confidence in our ability to get donated books into the hands of less fortunate children here and around the world,” noted Cathy Leiber, President, Judith’s Reading Room. She added, “It is impossible to state how emotional it is for families to receive new books.”
Barnes and Noble Holiday Book Drive for Judith’s Reading room UPDATES!
Thank you for all of these wonderful photos! They really tug on the booksellers’ heartstrings when they look through them!
Michael Burger
Barnes & Noble
Wyomissing PA 2021
@BNReadingPA
APRIL 24, 2022 …
Where does the time go? We finally have our Cat Tales- Kids Reading to Cats program back in full swing.
As promised. I am sending you some photos of the kiddos reading the Barnes and Nobles books that your organization donated to us. The first photo is of a group of Girl Scouts that came to read to the cats and were delighted to see all the new books to choose from. I had them hold up some of their favorites for the photo.
I’ve attached several photos of our readers in action. …most of the photos had to be taken through the windows of the rooms so we didn’t disturb the readers or the cats. In one of the photos you’ll see how the kittens all swarmed around the little boy reading to them. In another photo you will see a black kitten trying to escape in the backpack of one of the readers. Don’t worry we check backpacks, purses and sweatshirts with large pockets before anyone leaves the shelter to make sure they don’t have a stow-away with them. Many times the reader has to do double duty –reading and petting at the same time. Enjoy!
FEBRUARY 28, 2022 … These are the photos (and video!) from Resita City, Romania. This wraps up the sharing of the distribution of the 2022 Holiday Book Drive books Judith’s Reading Room donated thanks to the generosity of patrons at the Wyomissing Barnes & Noble – thanks always to Michael and his B&N colleagues.
FEBRUARY 17, 2022 … Photos of Barnes & Noble books we donated to award-winning teacher, Joicki Floyd, East Side High School, Newark, NJ. Joicki tells us the 10th and 12th grade students “were excited” and “chose their own book.”
FEBRUARY 1, 2022… Fantastic — adorable — inspiring photos from our 2020 Grand Prize Freedom Through Literacy Award winner, Chris McGilvery, in Texas! Please see the video for the children’s lovely thank you!
JANUARY 30, 2022… Here photos from Rev. Dr. Leoda Topps, pastor of the SME Church in Mississippi.
Dr. Topps, a Ph.D. In Education, helps children with their homework after school.
JANUARY 27, 2022… The books arrived in Chinle, AZ, Navajo Nation…finally! The woman in the photo is Alvira, who put the books from Barnes & Noble into the temporary, first-ever, mobile library on the reservation, that serves 128,000 residents.
JANUARY 21, 2022… Please see these exceptional photos of books — donated during the 2021 Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive — that were shipped and received by Derek Witmer’s 2nd grade in Harrisburg. We are thrilled that the books are loved so much!
JANUARY 21, 2022… Below please see a few photos from Mosaic Preparatory Academy. The generous books from Barnes & Noble have made a noticeable difference there!
Hi Cathy!
Please find attached the photos of the wonderful book donations you provided us through Barnes and Noble!
In the photos is one of our scholars who “purchased” a SpongeBob book, our library display so that kids could browse the new books for the vending machine, and some of the books featured in the vending machine!
Thank you so much for your generous donations. The kids are so excited!
JANUARY 19, 2022… JRR donated 46 YA books to Children’s Home of Easton yesterday. The books were hand-picked out of the generous 2021 Barnes & Noble Holiday Book Drive. In May, 2012, JRR established a library at CHE with an initial donation of 450 books. An important part of that donation was the commitment to support their first-ever Book Group. Each month for years, JRR bought 10 copies of a book they chose for this literacy-rich experience. The Book Group is still alive and well all these years later thanks to the superb dedication of CHE’s Marlene Arnholt.
JANUARY 11, 2022… Attached are photos from Harkins House, a juvenile residential center near Portland, Oregon where many YA books were sent. Thank you again to Barnes & Noble for selecting Judith’s Reading Room as their 2021 Holiday Book Drive Charity.
JANUARY 8, 2022 … These photos are ADORABLE!! Thank you very much for sending them. And, thank you for following up with photos of the children reading aloud to the kitties!
NOVEMBER 19, 2021...Thank You…Thank You…Thank you…to all the holiday shoppers who have purchased books for Judith’s Reading Room. So far, five large boxes have been picked up and will be sent to many of our libraries and Freedom Through Literacy Award winners throughout the world. Thank you Barnes and Noble, Wyomissing, PA for choosing us as your holiday charity.
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We ask that you please make a donation to Judith’s Reading Room, in support of our ongoing recognition of what is being accomplished in the great world of literacy, as well as funding our shipment of children’s books, both domestically and internationally.