Open Books
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2018) |
 | |
| Formation | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | To improve Chicago's literacy rate [1] |
| Headquarters | 651 W Lake St. Chicago, Illinois 60661 United States[2] |
Founder | Stacy Ratner |
| Website | www |
Open Books is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago, Illinois, that sells donated books to fund literacy programs for kids.[3] Founded by Stacy Ratner in 2006, Open Books has since started several literacy programs for kids, and has taken part in literacy events in Chicago. Open Books has three store locations, based in Pilsen, West Loop, and Logan Square areas of Chicago.[4] Open Books employs adult volunteers who work in their bookstores, and with participants during literacy workshops.[5]
History of Organization
[edit]Open Books was founded in 2006 by Stacy Ratner, the organizations' executive director. Ratner attended Brandeis University and Boston College Law School, and later, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.[6] Open Books began in Ratner's basement in the South Loop, where she and Becca Keaty collected and organized donated books. After three months, they acquired 50,000 donated books.[3][7] In 2009, Ratner opened a storefront in River North. The store held 50,000 books, 10,000 of them being children books.[3] In 2012, 60-80 Chicago Public Schools participated in Open Books programs. As of 2012, approximately 75 percent of Open Books $1.2 million budget comes from bookstore and online sales.[3] In 2014, Open Books opened their Pilsen store location.[8] The next year, Open Books opened another bookstore location in the West Loop.[9]
The founders of Open Books learned that over 53% of Chicago adult resident have deficient literacy skills. Ratner, Keaty, and Walter, and additional volunteers then began to promote literacy in the city of Chicago.[10][11] Nell Klugman, volunteer coordinator for Open Books, confirms that Open Books actions focus on creating access to books and prioritizing time for reading.[10]
Events and Collaborations
[edit]On Feb. 14, March 14, and Nov, 14 in 2014, Open Books participated in The Chicago Arts Districts' "2nd Friday Gallery Night" event. The event is a monthly reception at different art studios and galleries in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood.[12][13] In July 2014, Open Books participated in Chicago’s first Independent Bookstore Day, where they offered free bags of books to attendees who arrived first.[14] In December 2014, Open Books donated 500 children's books to the CTA annual Holiday train where they were given out at the Red, Purple, and Yellow line stops.[15] In 2016, Open Books had its first Garage Sale event. The event took place on Saturday, April 30 at 10 a.m. until May 1 at 4:00 p.m at Open Books' Pilsen location.[16] On April 29, 2017 Open Books held its second Garage Sale event at their Pilsen location.[17][18] On March 27, 2018, Goose Island Brewhouse selected Open Books for their Charity of the Month program. On the last Tuesday of the month in 2018, Goose Island Brewery selects a local charity, and then donates a portion of their dinner proceeds for that night to the selected charity.[19] Open Books Pilsen will be holding their third Garage Sale event on April 28–29, 2018.[20]
Literacy Programs
[edit]Reading Buddies
[edit]"Reading buddies" is a literacy program held twice a week throughout the school year, where Open Books's staff members and approved adult volunteers pair up with an elementary school student to work on literacy skills such as fluency and reading comprehension for 30 minutes.[21]
Creative Writing Field Trips
[edit]Open Books West Loop has a creative writing field trips program for elementary and high school students where they take part in literacy games and activities, before going on to write their own work of creative literacy.[22] After the workshop, all students receive printed copies of the classes works to keep.[22]
Read Then Write
[edit]Read Then Write is a literacy composition and publishing program for young authors. Teens read and discuss books from a specific genre and then write their own stories in that style, which Open Books later publishes.[3][5] During this program, students read through a text with a volunteer writing coach before going on to write their own creative writing works, which are published in an annual Open Books anthology.[5]
Open Books Publishing Academy
[edit]Open Books Publishing Academy is a reading, creative writing, book access & distribution program where children create, write and professionally publish a full length novel.[23] With the assistance of Open Books staff, writing coaches, and published authors students consult industry professionals about design and publication of their books.[23] After the program, all finished works are displayed at Open Books' Publishing Academy Book Launch.[23]
Book Grant Program
[edit]Through their Book Grant Program, from 2014-2015 Open Books donated over 130,000 books to community organizations to help create libraries in schools and non profit centers.[24] Book grants help create classroom libraries, additional children’s book grants and reading resource materials.[25]
References
[edit]- ^ Bianchi, Laura (6 August 2015). "What would you do if this was the last day of your life?". Crain's Chicago Business. Crain Communication, Inc. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "open books headquarters - Google Search". www.google.com. Google. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia (December 9, 2012). "Stacy Ratner: Remarkable Woman Stacy Ratner founded Open Books". tribunedigital-chicagotribune. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- ^ "Shelf Awareness for Tuesday, February 17, 2015". www.shelf-awareness.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- ^ a b c Bostedt, Shelbie (27 Sep 2017). "Do good this week with Open Books". Chicago Tribune. Red Eye. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ "Stacey Ratner, Open Books". Newcity Lit. 2009-11-16. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ "The Good Word: Chicago's Open Books arrives with a mission". Newcity Lit. 2009-11-16. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ "Turn the Page – South Side Weekly". southsideweekly.com.
- ^ Dymowski, Gordon (4 August 2015). "Meet Your Neighbor: Open Books In West Loop". Chicago Now. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Open Books works to turn page on illiteracy in Chicago | UIC Today". today.uic.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ "Chicago Nonprofits Open Coworking Space to Advance Literacy, Avoid Redundancies - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly". nonprofitquarterly.org. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ "Open Books Joins 2nd Fridays in Pilsen!". Open Books. 6 Feb 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Chicago Art District: Events". chicagoartsdistrict.org. Chicago Art District. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Rain Didn't Hamper Independent Bookstore Day". Chicagoist. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
- ^ "RedEye". touch.redeyechicago.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
- ^ Price, Bethany (28 April 2016). "Weekend Spotlight: Literary Events You Should Visit in Chicago Area April 29-May 1". Chicago Now. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ Miller, Maya (27 April 2017). "Chicago Celebrates Independent Bookstore Day". Chicago Tonight | WTTW. WTTW Chicago Public Media. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ Levitt, Aimee. "How many indie bookstores can you visit in one day?". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ McDermott, Mark (25 March 2018). "Chicago Craft Beer Events, March 26–29". Chicago Now. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ Open Books. "Garage Sale at Open Books Pilsen Warehouse and Bookstore". Eventbrite. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Open Books Reading Buddies". Chicago Literacy Alliance. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
- ^ a b Albina, Maria (3 Sep 2014). "Open Books Chicago Field Trip". Teacher. DonorsChoose.org. Dewey Elementary School. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ a b c Open Books Ltd. (8 August 2017). "Open Books Publishing Academy" – via YouTube.
- ^ Reid, Samantha (29 March 2018). "Do Good Thursdays: Open Books is Filling in Chicago's 'Book Deserts'". neighborhoods.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
- ^ Cardos, Nicole (10 Feb 2015). "Open Books works to turn page on illiteracy in Chicago". University of Illinois at Chicago. UICToday. Retrieved 9 April 2018.