With the holidays just around the corner, many of us are looking for ways to give back.
If you’re passionate about reading, there are numerous bookish organizations dedicated to making a difference. Your contributions—through donations, volunteering, and spreading the word—can help foster a love for reading and further diversity in the industry.
Additionally, by supporting local organizations—whether that be shopping locally or supporting grassroots and mutual aid initiatives in our area—we strengthen our local economy and promote a more diverse community. You can support independent bookshops in-person, or through Libro.fm audiobook credit bundles, which can also be gifted.
Read on to learn more about some inspiring organizations to support this holiday season and beyond!
Organizations that support bookish communities:
We Need Diverse Books
We Need Diverse Books is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diversity in children’s literature and publishing. Founded in 2014, they strive to ensure that all children have access to stories that reflect their identities and experiences. Some key programs include mentoring marginalized creators, providing resources to diverse publishing professionals, and donating books by a diverse range of authors to schools and libraries nationwide.
Tip: In addition to supporting WNDB directly, $5 from each Libro.fm 10th anniversary tee sold through the end of the year will go to the organization!
The Word | A Storytelling Sanctuary
Established in 2016, The Word is a non-profit that uplifts voices from systemically and historically marginalized communities. They offer an editor-writer mentorship program, and host the [Margins.] Literary Conference and Book Festival. They also host the #MarginsBookselling campaign centering BIPOC, LGBTQIAP2S+, disabled, and neurodiverse communities, as well as presenting the annual BIPOC Bookseller Award.
Latinx in Publishing
Latinx in Publishing is a network of book professionals committed to supporting and increasing the representation of Latinx individuals in the industry, while promoting literature created by, for, and about Latinx communities. They offer mentorship and fellowship programs, listings for literary agents, networking events, and book news featuring Latinx publications.
The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (BINC)
The Binc Foundation supports bookshops and comic shops facing unforeseen hardships. Founded in 1996, they offer support for various needs, including medical expenses, housing stability, mental health service needs, and disaster relief. They have distributed over $11 million in financial assistance and scholarships to more than 10,000+ families since its inception.
Organizations that fight against book bans:
Your public library
Donating to public libraries can be an effective way to fight against book bans. Make a direct donation to help them fund programs, maintenance repairs, and add new resources to their collection. By supporting them financially, you’re helping to strengthen its ability to resist censorship efforts and maintain a diverse, inclusive collection of books for all readers.
LGBT Books to Prisoners
LGBT Books to Prisoners is a volunteer-run, donation-funded organization that provides free books and educational materials to incarcerated LGBTQ people across the United States. To support their mission, they welcome volunteers to help with tasks such as matching letters with books, wrapping packages, and restocking their library. They also accept both book donations and financial contributions to help cover postage and packing supplies.
American Library Association (ALA)
By supporting the American Library Association financially, you’re directly contributing to the defense of intellectual freedom and the right to read in libraries across the United States. For example, donations to their 21st Century Fund help ALA respond quickly to challenges libraries face and act on new opportunities.
No Name Book Club
No Name Book Club is a Black-owned worker cooperative that brings radical books to people both inside and outside prisons. Every month, they spotlight two books by BIPOC authors. You can support them by joining their local book club chapters or subscribing to their Patreon. They also operate the Radical Hood Library in Los Angeles, which serves as a community space for events and book distribution to incarcerated readers.
Organizations invested in children’s reading and writing:
Read Your World
Read Your World is a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness about children’s books that celebrate diversity and inclusion. They celebrate Multicultural Children’s Book Day every year to advocate for diversity in children’s literature. They have donated over 10,000 multicultural books to kids, and encourage community engagement through virtual parties and social media interactions using the hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
Reading Partners
Reading Partners is a non-profit organization focused on improving literacy for students in underserved communities. Since 1990, they have been mobilizing communities to provide students with the proven, personalized reading support they need to read at grade level by fourth grade. They’ve reached out to over 80,000 elementary school students and delivered over 3 million individualized literacy tutoring sessions over the years.
Open Books
Open Books is a nonprofit organization that began in 2006 with a simple idea—to collect used books and sell them to support its literacy programs in Chicago. They have worked directly with tens of thousands of students through book grant programs, community events, and literacy partnerships. Donations help them engage more than 5,000 youth through their literacy programs and give way more than 150,000 books to children and families each year.
WriteGirl
WriteGirl is a creative writing and mentoring organization that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and leadership skills to empower teen girls and gender-expansive youth. They connect young writers with professionals who mentor them in creative writing. A thriving community with 200 volunteers and over 500 members, their initiatives include monthly creative writing workshops, college application assistance, and special events.
Are there any bookish organizations you love to support?
We’d love to hear from you in the comments!