Collecting and donating books for Calgary Reads Big Book Sale is even more fun when you do it as a team! Whether you’re with your block, your book club, your workplace or a sports or community group, hosting a book drive is a simple, meaningful way to rally together to help young readers in Calgary!

Reasons to host a book drive for Calgary Reads Big Book Sale

1. It’s easy! Team members don’t have to raise fundsor run a marathon—just scour their shelves for pre-loved books and bring them to your boxes!

2. It’s fun! It’s amazing how quickly those booksstart to stack up on your own and as a group. Together, you can see what a big difference it makes to gather all those gently used books and give them to agood cause.

3. It supports young readers in Calgary. Proceeds from Calgary Reads Big Book Sale support critical early literacy initiatives, including Book Bank, which got 34,000 books to families furthest from opportunity last year, and Early Talks, a free YW Calgary offering that ensures toddlers have the words and interactions to have a bright start inschool.

Last year, our community’s incredible donations of 200,000+books garnered $570,000 at a time when supporting young readers is more important than ever.

*10-12% of 2-year-olds in Alberta are late talkers

*1 in 8 Alberta children are reading below grade level

*34% of Albertans have poor to weak literacy skills

Being able to read by Grade 3 and having a love of booksincreases a child’s wellbeing and helps them reach their potential. And you canhelp simply by clearing out your pre-loved books!

How to host a book drive for Calgary Reads Big Book Sale

Step 1: Tell your people about your book drive

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Our super handy book drive kit gives you printable/copy-paste material for:

• Social posts
• Newsletters
• Posters
• Donation boxes

All material includes handy info about the kinds of books and items we can and cannot accept:

CD's

Bibles or other religious books

Harlequin, Avon or Signet romances

magazines (including National Geographic)

book sets such as the Time/Life series

textbooks dictionaries encyclopedias Readers Digest

GETTHE KIT

Step 2: Have fun collecting books!

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We’ve heard of groups making it even more fun with challenges: Which house on the block/department in the office/duo on the teamcan raise the most books?

Once your people know where and when to bring their books, you’re almost there!

Step 3: Drop off the books!

OK, now here is an even more satisfying part: Adding your boxes of books to all the other boxes of books—knowing each one is going to helpchildren become stronger, thriving readers!

The best way to help us get your book drive books is during our donation days at the Calgary Curling Club.

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Calgary Curling Club 720-3rd Street NW

April 25, 2025

9 am-5 pm

April 26– May 4, 2025

9am–8pm weekdays

9am–5pm weekends

We are so grateful for your group’s contribution!! Please stay tuned on social and via our newsletter (sign up at www.bigbooksale.ca) to share in the joy of our impact!

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