Kids at Woodbrook site enjoying books
Communities In Schools of Lakewood has launched daily Reading Programs at four Free Summer Meal sites in Lakewood neighborhoods. Summer reading leaders design, plan and coordinate reading activities in partnership with Pierce County Library. United Way, Discover Books and First Book are key supporters. Over 200 students participate each day, setting reading goals, earning prizes and incentives and receiving help from staff and volunteers. The Pierce County Bookmobile visits once a week. Meals are provided by Saint Leo’s Food Connection. If you would like to volunteer or if you have gently used children’s books you can donate, please contact Communities In Schools of Lakewood at 253-589-7489.
Wade Larsen says
I’ve researched ‘Discover Books’ ? formerly ‘Thrift Recycling Management’ (TRM) ? and feel compelled to warn folks away from them. A few years ago, media reports sharply criticized this company for selling about half of the usable books collected in its blue bins ? prominently labeled “Books for Charity” ? while not making it clear that these donations were helping fund the company. Such misleading language on earlier versions of TRM’s bins led some folks to believe that ALL of the books would be donated to schools and libraries, which would suggest that the company was a nonprofit.
News stories on TRM and its alleged “charity front” ? Reading Tree ? had also expressed concern over the unusually close relationship between the two entities, as well as the negative impact TRM’s collection activities has had on local book charities such as the Friends of the Library associations across the country.
A slew of complaints from library groups and an investigation by Oregon’s Department of Justice may have prompted the company to start obscuring the “for Charity” text on its bins beginning around 2011. The negative attention may have also caused Reading Tree to cease operations in August 2012.
Discover Books has claimed that for every book it sells, one book is donated. Seems equitable, until one analyzes the typical *dollar value* of the cherry-picked goodies the company sells for profit ? likely best sellers in good condition ? and the dollar value of what they donate ? reportedly old children’s books. Business stats provided in media stories on Discover Books suggest that perhaps over 90% of the dollar value of the usable books dropped into the company’s bins went to the for-profit side, while less than 10% went to charity.
Discover Books’ bins now carry more honest labeling that admits to selling a portion of the books collected. But in my opinion, this happened only after a storm of media criticism and the Oregon DoJ investigation. Had none of that happened, I wonder whether this company would still be trying to deceive the public.
Reports on Discover Books (as TRM) and the now defunct Reading Tree:
* “Battle Over the Blue Book Bin” ? WUSA 9, Washington DC; 2012: tinyurl.com/k3nq6y5
* “Blue book bins cause consternation” ? Sonoma News, Calif.; 2012: tinyurl.com/oyqcey6
* “Not all “Books for Charity” go to charity” ? American Public Media; 2011: tinyurl.com/ml8oz4j
Please donate books to your local Friends of the Library group.