Calgary Reads Big Book Sale Promotes Childhood Literacy

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Thousands of readers will be able to explore more than 175,000 books at Calgary Reads’ 20th annual Big Book Sale this month.

Steacy Pinney, early literacy director for the Rotary Club of Calgary, said the sale promotes literacy among young readers and ensures affordability is not a barrier to families accessing books.

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“I was at the first CBC parking lot book sale when we raised $5,000, and I was chair of the Rotary book sale committee when we raised half a million dollars last year,” she said, adding that CBC is a partner in the sale. for 20 years.

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The sale will be held May 10-20 at the Calgary Curling Club, and most books will sell for just $2 or $4.

“We’ve learned that when people come to book sales, they’re really on a mission to find the “perfect” book at the right time. So we don’t put a lot of distractions in their way, because usually they walk in the door at the Calgary Curling Club and they just want to start diving into all the tables that are taking over the entire curling rink.”

To celebrate its 20th year, the sale will host a variety of competitions, primarily through social media channels.

“A school teacher can earn a visit from the Little Red Reading House van. “Jayman Homes is our main book sale sponsor and they are going to raffle off a free little library and come install it in the lucky winner’s yard,” Pinney said.

In 2023, more than 14,000 people bought almost 200,000 books and raised $501,000 in sales.

“These profits are really needed for early childhood literacy and go to support some really important programs within the Calgary community. “So every dollar we raise, the more we raise, the more we can support these really incredible programs.”

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Most of the proceeds go to Little Red Reading House and Children’s Book Bank, Pinney said.

“Calgarians have generously donated their books for two decades because they truly want to support the next generation of readers,” she said.

“The Little Red Reading House is a beautiful, quirky magical book house in Inglewood – every child who visits can choose a book, keep it for themselves, and build their library at home.”

The book bank supports many charities that serve children and their families: Calgary Food Bank, Carya and Children’s Cottage. “Many of these organizations receive book deliveries so they can give them to their clients when they are there for advice, food or anything else that people really need in our difficult economic times.

“We have committed $100,000 each year to continue operating the book bank; “We also provide funding to nonprofit organizations that run evidence-based literacy programs.”

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Pinney said it takes approximately 1,200 volunteers to run a sale of this magnitude. This year, volunteer shifts were filled almost a month before the sale.

Brett Miles is on the book sale organizing committee and has volunteered his time for the event since 2016.

“One thing that really stood out to me at the time is that we were a team of about a dozen, and there were only one or two men on the team. I want to be in that sale, showing other men and boys that you can be passionate about early literacy and represent it,” Miles said.

“I didn’t realize how great the need is in our city to put books in the hands of children. Having a book is very important and there are many children in this city who do not have a book.”

The book sale will be held on May 10 and 11 from 9 am to 8 pm by appointment only.

No appointment is necessary from May 12 to 20, with variable hours.

For more information on book sales, visit www.bigbooksale.ca.

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