As you might know, I have a soft spot for libraries. After hearing about a dip in Illinois public library funding, I attended city council budget meetings in Evanston and helped support fundraising efforts through blogging and getting other writers involved. The Evanston Public Library Friends have seen victories and setbacks. But through thick and thin they’ve persisted, and they’ve got a lot to show for it. Namely, they’ve opened The Mighty Twig – a volunteer-run, storefront library established to help replace Evanston’s shuttered South Branch.
How successful have they been?
In the Mighty Twig’s first six months:
- 18,017 people visited
- 509 children checked out 6,062 books
- Volunteers distributed 15,297 free books across Evanston
- They’ve built up a long wait-list of volunteers ages 10 to 89
They want to do even more – but they need your help.
Vote for Mighty Twig on Pepsi Refresh!
Help underserved areas get books.
The Mighty Twig’s newest project, “Right Book. Right Place. Right Person“ needs your vote in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. Cheryl Chamberlain, Twig Advisory Board member (who’s also on EPLF’s Board of Directors) says,
With our project, we’ll buy books by African-American authors and books in Spanish and distribute them to 10 book centers in public areas throughout west Evanston. These areas have zero library services. We also have another three reading rooms beyond The Mighty Twig, and yesterday we began work on our fourth.
How to Vote
The top 15 candidates will get a grant, but The Mighty Twig’s standing is in the mid-20’s. So please vote once per day until the contest ends on November 30, 2011.
Vote online here: http://www.refresheverything.com/themightytwig
Vote via text:
Send the code 109325 in a text message to PEPSI (73774).
Don’t forget:
You can vote every day both online and via text.
Thanks for your support!
Margoblog 
I Love Libraries: you comment, I donate!
I’m participating in the library-loving blog challenge!
I'm donating to Evanston Public Library Friends
For every commenter on this post between now and March 27 (at 11:59pm CST), I will donate $1.00 to Evanston’s budget-troubled branch libraries, up to $150. Comments on my recent related posts, “Dystopia hitting libraries too soon” and “Libraries holding…” also qualify.
It’s easy! You comment on any of these posts, I cough up the money, and the libraries get a gift!
In fact, when you enter my Order of Odd-Fish book giveway before the deadline on Sunday 3/21, I’ll contribute a bonus $1.00.
Keep in mind that aside from the bonus $1.00, my pledge is per commenter. If a single person leaves 50 comments, that’s just one donation. But you can do more by spreading the word. Please use the handy links below to share this post. Send your friends here so they can comment and raise more money for libraries.
If you’d rather make a flat-fee donation to your library, or to start the challenge on your blog, please do! And keep me posted about that in a comment below. You can find the official blog-challenge details on Jennifer R. Hubbard’s “writerjenn” blog.
“I Love Libraries” blog challenge week is March 23-27. (Yes, I’m getting started a little early.)
Chris Smith, author
Judith Mercado (Pilgrim Soul)
Mary Calhoun Brown
Kimberly Sabatini (Jess Free Falcon)
Colleen Rowan Kosinski (Writer Girl)
Holly Cupala (Tell Me a Secret)
Margie Gelbwasser
4IQREAD
Robin Bridges (Barefoot Contessa)
Lisa Schroeder
Jen Nadol (What’s Up?)
Deborah Freedman (Writes with Pictures)
Amy Brecount White
Janet S. Fox (Through the Wardrobe)
Angela De Groot
Taffy’s Candy
Hilari’s Post-it Place
Sarah Mullen Gilbert (The Writing Cave)
They Napalmed My Shrubbery This Morning
Reflective Renewal
C.J. Omololu
Jessica Shea
Book Junkie’s Bookshelf
Lara Zielin
Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup
Beth Mithen (A Writing Journey)
Not Enough Bookshelves
Little Lamb Books
Cari’s Book Blog
Disgruntled Bear also win a book from the Bear!
Melissa Walker
The Texas Sweethearts
Alma Alexander (AlmaNews)
C. Lee McKenzie (TheWriteGame)
Sydney Salter
Michelle Knudsen
Brimful Curiosities
The Bookworm
Spirits of the Belleview Biltmore
Heather (Marine Corps Nomads)
Denise Jaden
Armchair News here and on Facebook
Jessica Leader
Deborah Diesen (Jumping the Candlestick)
Musings of a Restless Mind
Diary of a Mad Woman
Lizann Flatt (The Flatt Perspective)
Composing Lola
Marla Warren (Musings on Michael Crichton)
Hip Writer Mama
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