Be Book Smart! A Literacy Campaign to support

What is “Be Book Smart”?

RIF has partnered with Macy’s to create Be Book Smart (formerly known as Book A Brighter Future), a national partnership to raise awareness and support of children’s literacy. This effort will help RIF provide free books and literacy resources to children nationwide, while expanding RIF’s outreach to the children at greatest risk for developing reading difficulties. This campaign provides an opportunity for Macy’s customers to join the effort and have an impact on literacy in their community. From June 24–July 31, 2011, Macy’s customers can give $3 to provide a book for a child and receive a coupon for$10 off* a $50 in-store purchase at any Macy’s nationwide. Macy’s will give 100% of every $3 to RIF to help reach our goal of giving 1 million books to kids.

Why Support the Campaign

Reason #1: By supporting RIF at Macy’s, you are helping provide free books and literacy resources to children who need them most. All children need access to books and to be exposed to reading at an early age to prepare for success in school and life.

Reason #2: Macy’s will thank you with a $10 off coupon* valid on eligible purchases of $50 or more!

RIF’s Impact

With more than 17,000 program locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories, RIF is making a difference for millions of children. Visit our interactive map to see our impact by state and to view videos that tell the "Heart of the Story."

A recent analysis of reading research confirmed the impact of RIF's core mission—that simply improving access to books improves children’s reading performance, helps children learn the basics of reading, results in children reading more and for longer lengths of time, and improves children's attitudes toward reading and learning. Please review our summaries of the critical literacy issues and our quick reference guide of recent literacy statistics, both of which illustrate the challenges RIF faces in creating a literate America.

Who Can Participate

Anyone and everyone! Last year, over 1 million Macy’s customers participated to raise more than $3 million to support RIF programs and initiatives. This was the largest customer-supported campaign in RIF’s 44-year history! Anyone who visits a Macy’s store during this summer can ask to Be Book Smart and support RIF at any in-store Macy’s register.

Three mothers battle to save school libraries

When I was growing up on the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean I spent many blissful hours at the British Council Library. Being able to go to the library and to borrow books made the long hot summers bearable. Then, when I was a teenager, I worked as a library assistant, helping to manage my high school library. It was a job I was enormously proud of.
Now here I am spending my life surrounded, literally, by books. Just like my younger self, I cannot imagine what life would be like without books and libraries. When I first moved to Ashland, Oregon, a year ago I was horrified to discover that the town's library was closed and had been in this lamentable state for months. The county and state just did not have the money to keep the libraries in this area open. Finally, to my great relief, the people of the town of Ashland stepped in. We were all asked if we would be willing to pay a little more in taxes so that our library could reopen. We were willing to do this and now our splendid library is up and running again.
Recently I read an article about three mothers who have been trying to get the state of Washington to stop taking money away from its public school libraries. For some children, the books in their school libraries are the only ones they get to read. School libraries also provide another priceless service; they are a place where children who don't have computers at home can learn how to use the Internet. Without this resource they will leave school not knowing how to tap into the World Wide Web.
To me this is a frightening thought, and I decided that I would share the story of these three courageous and determined mothers with you. You can read the complete story on School Library Journal . You can also visit the online petition to add your name to the list, and to thus show the powers-that-be that you support this cause. In addition you can visit the Washington Coalition for School Libraries & Information Technology website for more information about this story and the campaign.
If you live outside Washington State you might well ask why you should care about this campaign. The way things are going these days your state might be next. With libraries and book friendly organizations like RIF losing money left, right, and center, we all need to help one another save what we hold dear.