Read All About It!

Do you consider yourself an expert on Chicago trivia? Are you a smarty-pants when it comes to the local book and publishing scene?  Well, test your scholarly prowess by participating in Open Books’ literary photo contest!

During September, National Literacy Month, Open Books will be celebrating the contributions various Chicagoans have made to the literary world as well as featuring local literary hotspots and cultural institutions.

Here’s how it will work: Beginning on September 7th, Open Books will post a photo with a trivia question on Twitter, Facebook, and our blog ReadAllAboutIt.  Anyone is welcome to submit an answer!  (Only one entry per person per day, please.) All correct entries for each day’s question will be entered into a drawing at the end of each week and each Friday, one person will be selected and awarded the weekly prize!

The prizes will include an Open Books tote bag (the color of your choice), A FREE book of your choice (valued at $10 or less) from the Open Books store, an Open Books t-shirt (over 12 colors to choose from!) and the grand prize… a $25 gift card to the Open Books store!

Feel free to brush up on your Chicago literary knowledge before we begin the fun by checking out our Chicago-themed bookshelf at the Open Books store!  Good luck to all!

Here at Open Books, we are always sharing our opinions on reading and writing, whether we’re emphasizing the value of sharing a personal story at a Creative Writing Field Trip, orienting a new group of volunteers, reading with an elementary student Buddy, or delighting in a literary event at our store.

You, our friends and supporters, know how we feel not only about the value of literacy but also of the pressing need to spread this zeal and to cultivate new generations of literate, capable, and book-loving people.  So, for National Literacy Month, a time to call attention to and ponder the value of literacy, we’ve decided to ask you, our volunteers, donors, customers, and advocates, what the ability to read and write means to YOU.

Let's cover our wall with what the POWER of reading and writing means to you!

Starting September 1^st, we will be launching our “What do Reading and Writing Mean to You?” campaign, an opportunity to contemplate and share the impact that being literate has on you.  We hope that by evaluating your literate life, you keep in mind what those with low or limited literacy skills are missing out on: a life without barriers to education or jobs, and limitless potential.

We are posting every answer we receive to this question in our store, in the office, and in our classrooms.  While you’re at Open Books, you can participate by writing your answer on a specially designed book-shaped paper.  If you don’t have a chance to stop in and visit us, you can contribute by leaving a comment on our Facebook page or blog, direct messaging us on Twitter or emailing ehawkinson@open-books.org.  (We will fill out the paper for you!) We would love to hear from the people that are helping change the literacy landscape in Chicago.  We are grateful for your help in eradicating literacy one step, one page, and one word at a time.

For more information on how Open Books is promoting literacy in Chicago and cultivating a more literate world, visit our Impact page.  For more information on the national literacy crisis, visit The National Institute for Literacy.

This fall, Open Books will host its first annual gala called The Revelry: A Night Fair. If the word revelry only brings to mind a Kings of Leon song, you may be wondering, what does revelry have to do with Open Books?  Well, revelry is noisy partying and merrymaking, and with the fantastic live music, delightful dancing, incredible auctions, delectable hors d’oeuvres, and thrilling entertainers we have planned for the evening, the name was a perfect fit!

The Revelry: A Night Fair will be a spectacular Open Books fundraiser supporting the expansion of our literacy programming and highlighting the urgency of literacy in Chicago. This dynamic, dazzling, and dramatic night of hope and inspiration, supported by our local community and dedicated to the fight to end illiteracy, will be a celebration of reading, writing and the REVELATORY power of used books!

The swinging sounds of the Flat Cats and the funky décor at our incredible venue, Salvage One, will provide the perfect setting for our soiree.  With delicious desserts from Eli’s Cheesecake, an exciting array of strolling Night Fair-inspired entertainers (think mimes and magicians!), and other spectacular surprises, there is something for everyone to revel in.  Whether you’re committed to ending illiteracy by supporting Open Books or are simply itching to dance your socks off, buy your tickets to The Revelry: A Night Fair today!

Join in the merrymaking at Salvage One on Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m.

For more information about The Revelry visit this page or e-mail revelry@open-books.org.

We hope to see you there!

P.S. It’s not too late to become a sponsor for The Revelry! If you would like to have a reserved seating area at the event and see your name or logo on tons of Revelry materials, become a sponsor today!

Paul Halupka is championing the Open Books literacy cause through Team Bookin’ It.  Interestingly, it was a book that influenced him to do so!  Though he’d always been moderately athletic, it wasn’t until he read the memoir What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami that he really began to push his limits and view running as more than just one of his hobbies. Inspired by Murakami’s impressive distance runs racking up 36 miles a week, Paul made a Facebook declaration to lengthen his 5k runs to 10k runs. Months into it, Paul was able to run his way north to Ravenswood, to the end of Damen Ave., and all the way back to Ukranian Village—a 13 mile run.

Intense, right? But according to Paul, it’s the best kind of intense. The night of this exciting feat, Paul signed up for his first half marathon. He found a training plan he could stick to and ended up cutting five minutes off his original goal time. (Thirty minutes faster than his first 13-miler!) Through running, Paul developed a body-self relationship that comes with the luxury of being able to trust his lungs, heart, and legs. Paul insists he’s not genetically gifted and that everyone (yes, you too!) has a runner in them. Get inspired by Paul and allow the underserved Chicago adult and youth populations to become inspired by books as well! Are you ready to let Team Bookin’ It dig out your inner runner? Join today!

Open Books caught up with print and digital lovers last weekend at Printers’ Ball. The Poetry Foundation and Columbia College hosted another great event that featured literacy organizations, publishers, authors, bloggers, stamp-makers, and some electric beats.

We challenged visitors to declare their reading preferences, whether it be a hand-held device or a hard cover—and the outcome? Print swept the contest winning with dominating tally of 155 to 29!

At Open Books, being ABLE to read is what is important. So appreciate your ability to read either form, and join us in sharing that experience with others.

Visitors who stopped by our table were able to dress up with wacky props and Open Books shades to show off their reading predilection.  Check out all of the photos here and vote for your favorite one on facebook!