Everything You Need to Join Us for Booktober!

Last year, Room to Read’s awesome, entrepreneurial Chapter Network got together and launched a month-long initiative to support literacy: Booktober. Throughout the month of October, events took place in cities around the globe, bringing our vision of a world in which every child learns to read and write to new audiences and raising funds for Room to Read’s programs along the way. This year we are taking it to the next level, and we want YOU to get involved!

Room to Read has launched a special Booktober website, complete with event-planning kits, information about our work and some fun social media graphics to show off your participation. Join the fun in three easy steps:

Step 1: Get informed. We all know that literacy is an important issue, but were you aware that there are currently nearly 800 million illiterate people in the world? More than 2/3 of those people are women and most live in developing countries.

Step 2: Get inspired. Here are a few examples from last year’s Booktober festivities to help inspire your event:

In London, our chapter hosts regular Book Swap events. Book Swaps are an easy and fun event that combine meeting new people with a love of reading—what more could you ask for! Last year, the London chapter hosted a swap at an independent bookseller, Daunts Books, charging a small donation for participating and encouraging each participant to bring a favorite book to swap. At the event, while enjoying light refreshments and each other’s company, attendees filled out note cards to go along with their donated book, which detailed the reasons they love it. Then, each person who attended got to choose one of the books to take home and enjoy.

In Montreal, our local chapter joined up with our Students Helping Students program to transform their usual Halloween costume party, Booktober style. The event included story time, themed games and a ton of arts & crafts, and the proceeds from ticket sales went to support our literacy programs. Take a look. 

Step 3: Get planning. Want to host a Costume Party like Montreal? A Book Swap like London? Or bust our your favorite pair of Lederhosen and gather friends for “Booktoberfest”? Go to our Booktober website to get everything you need. And don’t forget to share photos and tweets related to your event using the hashtag #Booktober.