UPDATE What happens to all those review copies

You may've noticed this new logo toward the bottom-right column. Or maybe your eyes just skip over anything that looks remotely like an ad.

This isn't.

I'm pleased to announce that Book Buds (ahem) now participates in Reading by 9, a literacy program in Southern California that tries to get kids reading at their grade level by fourth grade.

I've known about the program since 2000, when I worked as a junior editor for a community newspaper owned by the L.A. Times, which runs it. One of my education reporters began volunteering with them a few hours a week to read to inner-city schoolkids and before I knew it, she'd been offered a teaching job and switched careers.

When I saw their booth at the L.A. BookFest the other week, I dropped off a business card and exchanged a few pleasantries.

The result: this past week, the hubby schlepped about 45 books into their offices a floor below his. The books will go to elementary schools in my county. Many of the books started out in the L.A. Times' slush pile, of course, lugged home by Brett to begin with. Now that he's hauled them back, they'll be sent out here again. Phew.

I'm amazed this man still loves me, really.

In case you ever wondered where those review copies go, many of them have indeed wound up on the bookshelves of my son's playmates. But most have gone to charity or to schools. From now on, they'll go where they're needed most.

I feel good.

-- Anne

Comments

[brettdl]

All that schlepping keeps my arms in shape.

[Jen Robinson]

I think that's neat! I've been giving my review copies away to friends and nieces, but I do like the idea of finding out where they're needed most. Of course, I'm pretty new to the whole thing, so I don't actually have all that many review copies to worry about. But still... It's a nice idea.

[Anne]

Jen: Don't worry, you'll soon have more than your bookshelves can handle! And your Mommy friends will be happy to take a few copies off your hands. The books all find good homes eventually. :-)

[Ontario Emperor]

Did I read it correctly when you said, "The books will go to elementary schools in my county"? I didn't know that the Los Angeles Times even knew of your county's existence...

[Anne]

Well, that's what the lady promised me. If the books end up in Compton or Watts, that's okay too.