This April, BookSpring launched its first-ever Big Book Giveaway, an educator-focused initiative that brought nearly 20,000 books directly into the hands of teachers across the Greater Austin area. Designed to empower schools with limited resources and reignite classroom libraries, the event quickly became a standout success for the spring.
While our Books for Me program continues to be a cornerstone of BookSpring’s literacy work, challenges like decreased campus engagement and limited school funding inspired a new approach. Instead of organizing large-scale events at schools, we opened our headquarters for a month-long series of curated book giveaways. This approach allowed teachers to hand-pick books they knew their students would love in a relaxed setting.
In line with our mission to expand access to books for children in under-resourced communities, the Big Book Giveaway reached schools where the need is greatest. The percentage of economically disadvantaged families with children attending the participating schools was 84%, while the median was approximately 89%. Participants of this program represented 4 counties, including Travis County, Caldwell County, Williamson County, and Bastrop County, bringing regional diversity to the event while highlighting a shared need for greater access to quality books.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Teachers appreciated the freedom to choose books that aligned with their students’ interests and needs. Many used the books for end-of-year gifts, summer reading programs, and classroom sets
“The event was GREAT! If anything, I wish I could have selected MORE books. I’m using these books to give to kids for Summer Reading and I have 550 students at my school.”
The Big Book Giveaway is more than just a distribution; it’s a bridge between literacy nonprofits and the classrooms that need support the most.
