Blackbelt schools encouraged to apply for free eBooks

Published 11:58 am Wednesday, February 14, 2018

The University of Alabama’s School of Library and Information Studies will award over $12,000 in new children’s and young adult books to school libraries in the Black Belt region as well as to one school library in an economically deprived area of Alabama outside the Black Belt.

The effort is through the SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt and Beyond Program.

School librarians in the Black Belt counties of Alabama and other economically disadvantaged areas of the state are encouraged to apply for books awarded by Dr. Jamie C. Naidoo, professor in UA’s School of Library and Information Studies.

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School librarians may download and complete the application sheet and email it to jcnaidoo@slis.ua.edu with “Book Bonanza” in the subject line or fax the application to 205-348-3746. Applications are due before midnight Feb. 23. Applications are located on the program website, here.

At least six of the winning schools will be selected by Feb. 28. Each winning school library will receive over $1,800 worth of free children’s and/or young adult books. Once notified, winning school librarians will have until March 30 to claim their free books from the School of Library and Information Studies at The University of Alabama. Books must be picked up in Tuscaloosa.

Initiated in 2009, the SLIS Book Bonanza for the Black Belt is an annual program that provides free books to school libraries in the Black Belt region each academic year. In 2017, the program donated a record $22,641 in new books to elementary, middle and high school libraries in Alabama.

For additional information, please visit the program website or contact Dr. Jamie C. Naidoo at jcnaidoo@slis.ua.edu

The School of Library and Information Studies is a part of the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama.

(This article originally appeared in the Wednesday, February 7 issue of the Demopolis Times.)