A Day in the Life of Our Books
By Tyler McClure
Many hands make light work at Brooklyn Book Bodega. Take a look at the inner workings of the Book Hub during our volunteer sorting and stamping session to understand how we process books, what happens to them on their journey with us, and where they end up.
Receiving Books ✓
On a typical day at the Book Hub, we often receive large book donations at the loading dock. On this particular day, we received a large amount of books from a Girl Scout Troop. Cecilia Golombek, our Program and Volunteer Coordinator, is pictured to the left with the Girl Scouts who hosted the book drive.
Unloading ✓
After rolling our large bin of books back to the Book Hub, we unload and count the books into piles of ten or twenty to prepare them for inspection and stamping.
Quality Check ✓
During book inspections, we look for quality. Sometimes books have a few stickers on the cover, so we take them off. We look for any additional flaws because we want our books to be giftable. We emphasize the giftable quality of donated books so every child is excited to pick out a book for their personal collection. Let’s admit it, we all judge books by their cover.
Sometimes books need a little bathing ✓
Well Loved Books ✓
Some books have permanent marks on them, but they are still of readable quality. They will go into a special category called ‘Well Loved”. Our well-loved books are given away at an event we host monthly called “Community Day”. These books may not be in the best condition but are still worth being a part of someone’s collection.
Book Stamping ✓
After inspection, all books get our Brooklyn Book Bodega stamp. The nameplate allows children to write their names in the books that they pick out. Book ownership is the goal!
Book Sorting ✓
Once inspecting and stamping have been completed, books are sorted by grade level and genre. We also sort roughly by age/interest: pre-school, early elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school. Sometimes we get adult-level books so they get a category, too.
Shelving ✓
Next, the books are ready to be shelved. Our bookshelves are organized from simple to complex. Our shelves are where book shopping happens.
Volunteer Book Shopping ✓
Volunteers are part of the Brooklyn Book Bodega community. Following a book sorting and stamping session, our volunteers get a chance to shop for books. Many of our volunteers love to read. Some volunteers also have children, so they bring books back to their kids after a volunteer session.
Where The Books Go ✓
Brooklyn Book Bodega’s impact does not end at the Book Hub. We host events where families can select books and find out more about Brooklyn Book Bodega. Here you see, Anthony, one of our frequent volunteers, speaking to a family about the organization at a Women’s History Month event that took place in the winter of 2024.
Collaboration In Action ✓
Maithili Joshi, illustrator of “You Are A Star, Malala Yousafzai” reads her book during storytime at a March 2024 Women’s History Month event. Joshi is a South Asian illustrator with a playful and whimsical illustration style. After graduating from the School of Visual Arts, she focused on creating illustrations for children’s books.
We collaborate with authors, illustrators, and publishers to foster community engagement while also expanding their audience. Events like this allow young readers to experience a variety of voices, perspectives, and art styles adding educational value to their lives. They also get to pick out books.
Our impact is boosted through volunteering, collaboration, and community. We encourage you to sign up to volunteer at the Book Hub or for one of our events. Keep an eye out for our many events. We would love for you to attend!
Immerse yourself in the Brooklyn Book Bodega community by volunteering at the Book Hub or at a public event.
Tyler McClure attends St. Francis College and majors in Literature, Writing, & Publishing. She was Brooklyn Book Bodega’s spring 2024 intern.
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