Open Books

Last updated
Open Books
Formation2006 (2006)
Type Non-profit
PurposeTo improve Chicago's literacy rate [1]
Headquarters651 W Lake St.
Chicago, Illinois 60661
United States [2]
Founder
Stacy Ratner
Website www.open-books.org

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]

Contents

History of Organization

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

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

Reading Buddies

"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

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

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

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

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]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Literacy</span> Ability to read and write

Literacy is the ability to read and write. Some researchers suggest that the study of "literacy" as a concept can be divided into two periods: the period before 1950, when literacy was understood solely as alphabetical literacy ; and the period after 1950, when literacy slowly began to be considered as a wider concept and process, including the social and cultural aspects of reading and writing and functional literacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indigo Books and Music</span> Canadian book and gift retailer

Indigo Books & Music Inc., known as "Indigo" and stylized "!ndigo", is Canada's only major English-language bookstore chain. It is Canada's largest book, gift, and specialty toy retailer, operating stores in all ten provinces and one territory, and through a website offering a selection of books, toys, home décor, stationery, and gifts. Most Chapters and Indigo stores include a Starbucks café inside. As of 2022, Indigo has started selling music, and select audio equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Jackson</span> American writer and artist (born 1963)

Shelley Jackson is an American writer and artist known for her cross-genre experimental works. These include her hyperfiction Patchwork Girl (1995) and her first novel, Half Life (2006).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spartacus Books</span> Bookstore in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Spartacus Books is a non-profit, volunteer and collectively run bookstore and resource centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was founded in 1973. Spartacus sells new and used books, zines, comics, magazines, CDs, videos, T-shirts, patches, pins, posters and cards. Spartacus Books is one of the longest-running collectively run bookstores in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelly Writers House</span> Community space at the University of Pennsylvania

The Kelly Writers House is a mixed-use programming and community space on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Poetry Foundation</span> American foundation

The Poetry Foundation is a United States literary society that seeks to promote poetry and lyricism in the wider culture. It was formed from Poetry magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthropist Ruth Lilly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alameda County Library</span> Public library system in Californias Alameda County

The Alameda County Library, in Alameda County, California, is a public library system that provides services from eleven branch libraries in the cities of Albany, Dublin, Fremont, Newark and Union City and the unincorporated communities of Castro Valley, Cherryland and San Lorenzo. According to 2005/2006 statistics, the total service area represents a population of about 522,000, and annual circulation is reported to be around 5.5 million. Its headquarters are located in Fremont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Literacy in the United States</span>

Literacy in the United States was categorized by the National Center for Education Statistics into different literacy levels, with 92% of American adults having at least "Level 1" literacy in 2014. Nationally, over 20% of adult Americans have a literacy proficiency at or below Level 1. Adults in this range have difficulty using or understanding print materials. Those on the higher end of this category can perform simple tasks based on the information they read, but adults below Level 1 may only understand very basic vocabulary or be functionally illiterate. According to a 2020 report by Gallup based on data from the U.S. Department of Education, 54% of adults in the United States lack English literacy proficiency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City Charter High School</span> Charter school

City Charter High School, commonly referred to as City High, is a charter high school operating on a year-round schedule. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, the school provides education for students in grades 9 through 12. It was founded in September 2002 by Dr. Richard Wertheimer and Mario Zinga.

A sighted child who is reading at a basic level should be able to understand common words and answer simple questions about the information presented. They should also have enough fluency to get through the material in a timely manner. Over the course of a child's education, these foundations are built on to teach higher levels of math, science, and comprehension skills. Children who are blind not only have the education disadvantage of not being able to see: they also miss out on the very fundamental parts of early and advanced education if not provided with the necessary tools.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Johnson Colvin</span> American literacy advocate (1916–2024)

Ruth Johnson Colvin was an American philanthropist who was the founder of the non-profit organization Literacy Volunteers of America, now called ProLiteracy Worldwide in Syracuse, New York, in 1962. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in December 2006.

Glass Mountain is an undergraduate literary magazine at the University of Houston that was established in 2006. The title is an allusion to a short story with the same title by Donald Barthelme. The magazine publishes poetry, fiction, non-fiction, reviews, literary essays, and art written by undergraduates. Each issue also includes interviews with notable literary figures, including Mat Johnson, Mark Doty, Nick Flynn, Tony Hoagland, and others. The publication is listed in the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses and launched its first national issue in 2011. In 2013, the journal was awarded the Director's Prize for content by the Association of Writers & Writing Programs.

The Tampa–Hillsborough County Public Library System (THPL) is a public library system based in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. It is part of two larger library networks, the Tampa Bay Library Consortium, and the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative, which includes Temple Terrace Public Library in Temple Terrace, and Bruton Memorial Library in Plant City. There are 33 branches of the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative.

Kavi Gupta is a contemporary art gallery owned by gallerist Kavi Gupta. Headquartered in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago, the gallery operates multiple exhibition spaces as well as Kavi Gupta Editions, a publishing imprint and bookstore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Literacy Foundation</span>

The World Literacy Foundation(WLF) is a global not-for-profit that works to lift young people out of poverty through literacy. Founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003, the World Literacy Foundation operates on the principle that education is a basic human right. It aims to eradicate global illiteracy through the promotion of literacy and the provision of educational resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Blackstone</span> American writer

Charles Blackstone is an American writer. His most recent novel is the semi-autobiographical Vintage Attraction (2013).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Writer's Block</span> Bookseller publisher in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

The Writer's Block is an independent bookseller, publisher, and literacy educator in downtown Las Vegas. It is the first independent bookstore in Las Vegas and second in the state of Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Design Museum of Chicago</span> Design museum in Illinois, United States

The Design Museum of Chicago or "DMoC" is a museum of design in Chicago. It was founded by Tanner Woodford in 2012 as a pop-up museum, and hosted exhibitions in different venues around Chicago in 2012 and 2013. Following a successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign in 2014, the museum opened a permanent location in the Block 37 building. In late 2018, the museum moved to Expo 72.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Coval</span> American poet

Kevin Coval is an American poet. Coval is a Chicago-based writer who is known for exploring topics such as race, hip-hop culture, Chicago history, and Jewish-American identity in his work. He is also known for his appearances in four seasons of the Peabody Award-winning television series Def Poetry Jam on HBO.

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ "open books headquarters - Google Search". www.google.com. Google. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 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.
  4. ↑ "Shelf Awareness for Tuesday, February 17, 2015". www.shelf-awareness.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  5. 1 2 3 Bostedt, Shelbie (27 Sep 2017). "Do good this week with Open Books". Chicago Tribune. Red Eye. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  6. ↑ "Stacey Ratner, Open Books". Newcity Lit. 2009-11-16. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  7. ↑ "The Good Word: Chicago's Open Books arrives with a mission". Newcity Lit. 2009-11-16. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  8. ↑ "Turn the Page – South Side Weekly". southsideweekly.com.
  9. ↑ Dymowski, Gordon (4 August 2015). "Meet Your Neighbor: Open Books In West Loop". Chicago Now. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  10. 1 2 "Open Books works to turn page on illiteracy in Chicago | UIC Today". today.uic.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  11. ↑ "Chicago Nonprofits Open Coworking Space to Advance Literacy, Avoid Redundancies - Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly". nonprofitquarterly.org. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  12. ↑ "Open Books Joins 2nd Fridays in Pilsen!". Open Books. 6 Feb 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  13. ↑ "Chicago Art District: Events". chicagoartsdistrict.org. Chicago Art District. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  14. ↑ "Rain Didn't Hamper Independent Bookstore Day". Chicagoist. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  15. ↑ "RedEye". touch.redeyechicago.com. Retrieved 2018-04-11.
  16. ↑ 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.
  17. ↑ Miller, Maya (27 April 2017). "Chicago Celebrates Independent Bookstore Day". Chicago Tonight | WTTW. WTTW Chicago Public Media. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  18. ↑ Levitt, Aimee. "How many indie bookstores can you visit in one day?". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  19. ↑ McDermott, Mark (25 March 2018). "Chicago Craft Beer Events, March 26–29". Chicago Now. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  20. ↑ Open Books. "Garage Sale at Open Books Pilsen Warehouse and Bookstore". Eventbrite. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  21. ↑ "Open Books Reading Buddies". Chicago Literacy Alliance. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  22. 1 2 Albina, Maria (3 Sep 2014). "Open Books Chicago Field Trip". Teacher. DonorsChoose.org. Dewey Elementary School. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  23. 1 2 3 Open Books Ltd. (8 August 2017). "Open Books Publishing Academy" – via YouTube.
  24. ↑ Reid, Samantha (29 March 2018). "Do Good Thursdays: Open Books is Filling in Chicago's 'Book Deserts'". neighborhoods.com. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  25. ↑ 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.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.