42,000 books … 21 days … 13 counties …
In a nutshell, that’s one of the goals of the 2018 Books for the Alabama Black Belt campaign: to provide one book for each child in the 13 Black Belt counties, which amounts to 42,000 books.
The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development will run the book drive Feb. 2-23. Donation boxes will be in Bidgood Hall, Gorgas Library, Nott Hall and Smith Hall. Books also can be dropped off at the center’s office at 621 Greensboro Ave.
New or gently used classic and award-winning books found on school reading lists for K-12 children are accepted. A list of appropriate books is here: www.uced.ua.edu/books-for-the-black-belt.html.
The 2017 campaign delivered more than 16,000 books to 53 school libraries within the Alabama Black Belt region. The 13 counties in the service area are Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Pickens, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox.
The 2018 campaign sponsors include Culverhouse College of Commerce, Gorgas Library, Honors College, UA Center for Economic Development, UA Museums and Tuscaloosa Public Library.
Distribution of the collected books to school libraries will begin in early summer.
For more information, contact Sally Brown of the center at 205-348-8344 or sally.brown@ua.edu.