The Maryland Book Bank (http://marylandbookbank.org) has provides new and gently used children's books to disadvantaged families in Baltimore. Their goal is to spark family reading at home by making sure there are plenty of books available.

Volunteers are needed to help organize books at the Book Bank. On days when the weather is favorable, volunteer organizers at the Book Bank often arrange for volunteers to work outdoors!

This event has been very popular with volunteers who work with children. An extra benefit of sorting books for the Maryland Book Bank is the nostalgia trip you'll experience when you see books that you just might remember from your childhood...!

For those who are interested, we may go to lunch at a nearby restaurant after this event.

Volunteer duties usually involve packing books for shipment overseas. If you're a first time volunteer, we'll need to provide you with instructions on how to pack books so that the pallet won't collapse during shipment.

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About Books for International Goodwill:

Books for International Goodwill (B.I.G.) has successfully recycled used books for productive use by those who need books for schools and libraries to improve literacy in developing communities around the world. B.I.G. is a project begun by the Parole Rotary Club of Annapolis and is now an independent non-profit entity. It's motto is "Spreading Literacy by Keeping Books Alive".

The goal of the project is to provide the basic tools for educating the public both in formal school settings and through community libraries. We believe that the route to world peace and prosperity is through giving people the tools to learn how to feed their minds, as a corollary to the philosophy "that if you give a person a fish they will eat for a day, but if you teach them how to fish, they will eat for a lifetime".

Our project benefits three audiences. Those donating books know they are helping the environment, as well as the needy. B.I.G. is run by volunteers, providing an outlet for them to help the less fortunate improve their education and welfare. And most important, we are sending thousands of books to people throughout the world that will help them advance their learning and economic well-being.

BIG has shipped over 7 million books over the last seventeen years to poor communities overseas, as well as to Indian Reservations and communities recovering from natural disasters. Over 200 container loads (each with over 20,000 books) have gone by ship to countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia. Additionally, more than 1,000 smaller shipments have been mailed to US Service Personnel, Peace Corps volunteers, and other mission-sponsored schools.