Book-givers
will spread 
joy of reading

LEWISTON — On Wednesday evening, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., April 23, the Lewiston Public Library will be celebrating World Book Night 2014 by giving away more than 600 books during a free public event. Local volunteer “book- givers” will be on hand to do the giving, joining forces with 25,000 other volunteers in 6,000 towns and cities across the country from Kodiak to Key West in a celebration of reading.

World Book Night U.S. is an ambitious campaign to give thousands of free, specially printed paperbacks to light or nonreaders across America on one day. Volunteer book-lovers help promote reading by going out into their communities and sharing free copies of books they love. The mission of World Book Night is to seek out those without the means or access to printed books. World Book Night U.S.’s reach includes all 50 states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and overseas military bases.

The WBN picks are by a wide array of award-winning and bestselling adult and young adult authors, as well as classics, books in Spanish, and books in large print. The assortment of WBN titles is based on diversity in subject matter, age level, gender, ethnicity, and geography. The books were chosen in a vote by librarians, booksellers, and last year’s givers.

The LPL World Book Night celebration will take place in the Library’s Callahan Hall. The public is invited to attend at no charge and participants will be able to walk away with a few free books of their choosing.

Thirty local volunteers have registered as book givers and each will have 20 copies of a favorite title to give away. Books not distributed at the LPL event will be shared around the community in locations as diverse as hospitals, shelters, bus stations, nursing homes, schools, food pantries, and more. This is not a random giveaway, but a person-to-person, carefully planned outreach.

Bestselling author Scott Turow said: “I can’t imagine any greater compliment to a book—or an author—than to know his work has been selected to welcome people to the pleasures of reading.” Honorary 2014 chairperson Amy Poehler offered the following about reading and World Book Night: “I grew up loving books. In today’s digital world, it’s more important than ever to know how it feels to have a good book in your hands. I’m thrilled to be part of World Book Night. People who read are people who dream, and we connect through the stories we live and tell and read.”

Although it is too late to be a giver this year, those interested in participating in 2015 can sign up for the WBN e-newsletter. World Book Night U.S. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported by UPS, authors, publishers, the American Booksellers Association, the American Library Association, Barnes & Noble, and the Ingram Content Group.

For more information about World Book Night, please go to www.WorldBookNight.org. For details on the LPL WBN event, contact the Adult Services Department at 513-3135 or [email protected].

What: World Book Night, free books
Where: Lewiston Public Library, Callahan Hall
When: Wednesday, April 23