The library club collected over 1,600 books in this year’s drive for the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank to provide books to children in need across Northeast Ohio. 

“We did great,” library media specialist Angela Maxwell wrote in an email. “I’m so proud of the quality and quantity of books our school community has donated.”

Participating teachers offer extra credit for books donated during the annual drive, held this year between March 10-14.

Over 1,400 books were donated by students requesting extra credit with an additional five boxes donated by teachers, the middle school library and other sources, which Maxwell estimates at an additional 200 books.

The drive was organized by Maxwell and library club student leaders Taia Menefee, Anna Tonyushkin and Mirica Woodley.

The BHS library club has held a book drive for almost 20 years, according to Maxwell. She has run it herself since coming to the high school nine years ago. 

Before donating to the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank, books were donated to Cleveland-area elementary schools serving low-income students. 

According to Maxwell, the mission started out a lot smaller.

“When I started, the Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank was very new, and I realized we could help many kids all across Northeast Ohio,” she wrote. “So I reached out to them to see if they’d want our books if we did a book drive . . . little did I know, this initiative would grow so much bigger as the years passed.” 

The book drive record was achieved in 2017 when the library club collected more than 2,900 books. 

“Every year our goal is the same: to get as many books to children across Northeast Ohio as we can,” Maxwell wrote.

The drive focuses on books appropriate for children from preschool to eighth grade. 

“We want them to be books a kid will want to read, so that means it’s not excessively damaged or outdated, or an adult romance novel,” Maxwell wrote.

Logistics for the drive are carefully planned by the library club at the start of the year. 

“In January, my officers lead recruitment efforts, with all members asking teachers to support the cause through extra credit,” Maxwell said.

The teachers who are interested sign commitment forms, which Maxwell records in a spreadsheet to create a list of participants. Then the club designs and distributes flyers to encourage participation.

During the donation week, students fill out book drive slips when they drop off books for extra credit. 

“We normally have to check the slips for accuracy, as well as the conditions of all books, before logging the information into a spreadsheet,”  Woodley said.

Through book donations, the library club hopes to foster the spirit of giving and aims to encourage literacy by making the initiative widespread. 

“Through this book drive, I hope we instill a culture of generosity and remind people of the life-changing capabilities of literature,” Woodley said.

The success of this book drive is measured not only in numbers but through the impact it has on those who receive these books.

“The biggest reward is to see the difference we’re making,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell and the club’s leaders encourage everyone to continue participating in the future.

“By donating, you’re not just clearing your shelves or getting extra credit,” Maxwell said. “You are giving a child the chance to learn, be entertained, and grow.”