World Book Night 2012 TONIGHT!

 World Book Night is here!

TONIGHT!

Vist World Book Night on Facebook and post your photos of "spreading the love of reading person to person."

Let the giving begin!

 Here are a few frequently asked questions:

Q. What is World Book Night?

A. World Book Night is an annual celebration designed to spread a love of reading and books. To be held in the U.S. as well as the U.K. and Ireland on April 23, 2012. It will see tens of thousands of people go out into their communities to spread the joy and love of reading by giving out free World Book Night paperbacks.
 
Q.  May I give my books away before April 23?

A.  Absolutely not. All activity must be that day or during the week after.

Q.  Is it too late to be a giver this year?

A.  Yes it is, but join us next year!! Put your name on our mailing list for early notification! 

Q. Why April 23?

A. April 23 is the UNESCO International Day of the Book, chosen in honor of Shakespeare and Cervantes, who both died on April 23 1616. (It is also the anniversary of Shakespeare's birthday.) In the Catalan region of Spain, the day is celebrated by giving a book and a flower to a loved one. We also hope that it’s a lovely spring day perfect for spreading the love of reading in your community.

Q. What is the difference between World Book Night and World Book Day?

A. World Book Day is celebrated in the UK and Ireland by giving schoolchildren a book token. World Book Night was introduced in 2011 in the UK and Ireland to bring attention to books for adult readers, with a few young adult books to be included this year, as will be the case in the United States’ inaugural year, 2012.

Q. Why not children’s books?

A. Many, many other wonderful programs already exist to get books to elementary age children. The goal of World Book Night is to seek out reluctant adult readers wherever they are, in towns and cities, in public settings or in places from nursing homes to food pantries, low income schools to mass transit.

Q. Is all activity really meant to happen only at night?

A. World Book Night is intended to indicate, as noted above, to be focused mostly on adults, but of course, we want the book givers to go out anytime Monday, April 23 to a place of their choosing to give away their 20 copies. Givers should pick a safe, well-populated public area, or indoor setting, like a hospital or school. And all givers must be 16 years or older. (Anyone younger must be accompanied by an adult.)

Q. Will there be national media coverage?

A. World Book Night is primarily intended to be local, in your community, person-to-person. You are the reading ambassadors, if you will, spreading the word locally. We also expect that local media will cover some of the book givers’ activities in hundreds of cities and towns, and we hope the givers themselves use social media to describe how their day went, as well as share photos if possible. Having said that, we are actively working with network TV, newspapers and NPR, and expect some coverage. Anna Quindlen, our honorary national chairperson, was already featured in a major USA Today story, and will be on tv and radio April 23.

Q. Will there be events in stores or libraries that night?

A. WBN is intended to be thousands of individual interactions and celebrations of reading and giving that day.

Q. I’m confused! Help!
A. Visit the website or mail them at april23@worldbooknight.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Just bear with us. We’re a non-profit with minimal staff – ok, 2 people – but we will get back to you. We just ask that you read up on WBN here and online and learn as much as you can first.