Harvest of Books kicks off drive

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By ERIN ANDERSEN / Lincoln Journal Star

The 11th annual Harvest of Books book drive starts Friday.

This year’s goal is 13,000 books, enough to provide two new books to every first-grader and one to every second-grader in Lincoln’s public, private and parochial schools.

The drive runs through Oct. 21.

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Linda Hillegass sets up the Harvest of Books display at Edgewood Center's Lee Booksellers in 2005. (LJS file)

Linda Hillegass sets up the Harvest of Books display at Edgewood Center's Lee Booksellers in 2005. (LJS file)

Lincoln bookstores will offer a 25 percent discount on all books purchased for donation to the Harvest of Books.

The book drive started in 1996 and is a joint effort of the Lincoln Education Association and the Lincoln Journal Star. Its goal is to promote the joy of reading among beginning readers and to show kids that reading is so important, people will buy new books for children they don’t even know.

“We want to make sure that every child can read and enjoys reading, because that is the skill that will open doors for them now in their school years, and in their work lives,” said Arlene Rea, education association president.

“Our society is more literacy-based than it has been in many years,” Rea said, noting that today’s technology — from text messaging to the Internet — requires solid reading skills. “We can’t get around it. If we can encourage reading at a young age, then we open doors for their future.”

The Harvest collects only new books because many children have never had a new book of their own. Some of them live in homes that have no books, the education association said.

Every year since the drive’s inception, it has met — and usually exceeded — its goal. Rea said more than 100,000 books have been donated to the Harvest over the years.

But this year, bookstores have dropped the discount from 40 percent to 25 percent in an effort to cover their costs of participating in the drive.

Rea said she hopes the change does not discourage people, and she noted that financial donations are always accepted.

“And we spend every penny that is donated,” Rea said.

To kickstart this year’s drive, the Lincoln Area Retired School Personnel organization has donated $1,000 to the Harvest of Books.

Several events are planned to promote this year’s drive.

* Saturday, 9 to 11 a.m.,  shredding event in the education association’s office parking lot, 4920 Normal Blvd. People can take up to 50 pounds of documents (about two paper boxes full) to be shredded for free. Donations to the Harvest of Books will be accepted.

* On Oct. 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., University Bookstore, in the Nebraska Student Union, 14th and R streets, will host a book-signing with Rajean Luebs Shepherd to celebrate the release of her newest book, “Husker Numbers: A Nebraska Numbers Book.” Shepherd’s appearance will help promote the Harvest of Books. A limited number of posters from her “C is for Cornhusker” book will be given away with the purchase of a book.

* Oct. 25, 7 p.m., at Lincoln Firefighters Hall, 241 Victory Lane, “An Evening of LOL,” featuring White Magic by Adam White and Little E (Elvis impersonator). Ten percent of the $25 ticket price will be donated to the Harvest of Books. Tickets are available at the CD Warehouse, 51st and O streets.  The program is sponsored by the Cornhusker Chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals.

Rea is optimistic this year’s goal will be met.

“I know the community will come forth because they have before,” Rea said, “And I know they will continue to because of the cause it is.”

Reach Erin Andersen at 473-7217 or eandersen@journalstar.com