Today, I join other bloggers who have chosen to promote awareness of and raise funds for local libraries. For every commenter on this post between now and March 27, 2010 12:01 a.m., I will donate $1 to my home town library: East Chicago, Indiana Public Library, up to a total amount of $200.
My hometown’s libraries were an oasis for me when I was young. There, I met great thinkers from centuries past as well as the popular writers of the day. Today, my home town suffers from significant economic hardship due not only to general economic woes, but also because much of its industrial base has left. A substantial portion of the town’s residents, predominantly African American and Latino, live below the poverty line. The East Chicago Public Library once helped me to dream. I’d like to help others do the same.
The challenge is easy. If you comment below, I will provide the East Chicago Public Library a gift. If you don’t know what to say in your comment, “I love libraries” will do.
Note that my pledge is “per commenter”—so if a single person leaves 50 comments, that still only counts once! But you can do more by spreading the word ... please link to this post, tweet about it, and send your friends here so they can comment and raise more money.
If you’re moved to make a flat-fee donation to your library, or to start your own challenge, you are quite welcome, and please leave that information in the comments.
The official time period for this challenge is March 23-27. You may find a complete list of participating bloggers (or other sites where you can help libraries just by leaving a comment!) at the following link:
http://writerjenn.livejournal.com/
UPDATE: 65 wonderful people left comments. Thank you! I increased my contribution to $2 per commenter and have sent the East Chicago Public Library a check for $130.
Posts
68 comments:
Well, what a nice thing you're doing for your local library, Judith! I'm sure they will appreciate it, as will the patrons of the library. Have a lovely weekend!
Nevine
May you raise lots of money for your hometown library. I know how much reading means to you.
Inspiration from your hometown runs through everything you write, Judy. It's good that you're giving back to the source.
Thanks, Nevine, Harvey, and Esperanza for your good thoughts and contribution to the blog challenge.
Bill Young has asked me to leave his comment, which is: "Comment."
I hope this still honors the spirit of the law in this challenge.
Here's my comment toward your goal! Thanks for joining in!
I'm having an OpenID error here, so I can't post under my LiveJournal ID, but I am Jennifer Hubbard, aka writerjenn.
Thanks, Jennifer Hubbard and Bill Young.
Oh, marvellous blogland synchronicity. When I'm away I will be uploading a selection of posts from my almost three years as a blogger and one of them will be about libraries in the UK. I pledge my support to your initiative because like you I believe in the power of local libraries. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
Wonderful and admirable cause. Congratulations!
I am a library lover myself. I paid my dues to my hometown library by volunteering on the audio book recording service. I miss those days.
Comments my support! :)
Yay for libraries!
yay for libraries!
Libraries!
great cause - yea for libraries
Thank you for doing this.
Here's another comment for your library blog challenge. A lovely challenge indeed. I just posted mine.
This is great! Most libraries are in dire straights right now! I know the Ohio libraries can use all the help they can get!
Libraries are an awesome resource. All children need access to them. Thanks.
Good for you! This is a great challenge :)
Congrats to you (my earliest library was just outside of Chicago...) :)
Hooray for libraries!
Good luck with your challenge!
This is a wonderful thing you're doing. Good luck! :)
Thanks for participating, Judith!
My library-supporting blog entry can be found here: http://bit.ly/ilovelibraries
An amazing thing to do!
Hurray for libraries!
Love libraries!
“When people who can read and write start fighting on behalf of people who can’t, you just end up with another kind of stupidity. If you want to help them, build a big library or something somewhere, and leave the doors open.”~Terry Pratchett, Interesting Times.
Hi library-loving blogger! I wish my library was bigger so it could hold more books!
Here is my challenge:
http://taffyscandy.blogspot.com/2010/03/library-loving-blog-challenge.html
Yay, libraries! I just joined in at my blog, too:
http://michelleknudsen.blogspot.com/2010/03/library-loving-blog-challenge.html
Hooray! Hometown libraries rule, and so do you!
Thanks for helping your East Chicago Public Library, for all dreamers!
Wonderful challenge! I'm doing it at my blog, too, Holly Cupala, Tell Me a Secret!
Thanks for doing such a great job at helping your library!
Good luck with the challenge, Judith! Warm fuzzies for your local library!
Great challenge! I love the ongoing support for libraries!!! THey rock!!
Lots of library love! We're doing the challenge as well: http://texassweethearts.blogspot.com/2010/03/library-loving-blog-challenge.html
Thank you for participating and donating to your library!
Thank you so much for joining in my library challenge. I am in the process of commenting on your blogs as well, but am running into computer problems. Be patient. I'll get there before the 27th.
Hooray for libraries!
coll
Great idea! Thank you for supporting your local library!
-Kristin Tubb
Libraries are the best! Thanks for commenting on my challenge too.
http://kimberlysabatini.blogspot.com/2010/03/library-loving-blog-challenge-2010.html
This is wonderful. Thank you for doing this.
I love libraries and I love challenges.
I love libraries! I start taking my kids from the time they are babies and we go almost every weekend!
I really enjoyed reading your post, particularly in the way you described libraries as a safe haven for some folks. That is so true, and often overlooked. As a child, I loved the library for that reason. It was not only a safe haven, but also one of discovery and wonder. All of these books, for free?! What a treasure. Libraries need and deserve our support, especially in this economic climate.
Yay for libraries!
I love my local library! And I love books so much that my house is like a library. LOL!
(This is the third blog I've commented on. That's $2.00 plus £1.00 donated for libraries!)
I think it's great that you're participating in this comment pledge drive! I'm near you in the Chicagoland area, and I'm glad you're helping the local library!
a good cause!
I'm participating as well as I feel it's very important to support our local libraries.
I wish I had the money to participate in this. At least I can help by commenting!
Yay! Libraries! Thank you for your support!
Great idea! I love libraries!
Thanks for supporting libraries and all the doors they open!
Every town, no matter how small, should have a library.
My post is at www.ishtamercurio.blogspot.com
Thanks for doing this!
I think it goes without saying, I love libraries. So generous of you and everyone else participating in this challenge! :)
Such a mitzvah. Thanks for supporting your library!
Libraries are the one place where you can get something even if you don't have any money. You can check out a book and discover a whole new world.
No, thank you! We out in libraryland REALLY appreciate a challenge like this. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your support of your library!
From a neighbor and a librarian,
Jenny Schwartzberg
Good luck with your challenge! All this library love makes me so happy.
I love libraries!
I want to thank everyone who has participated so far and want to apologize for not being able to make the rounds of all those who so graciously left comments. In an unlikely confluence of events, both computer problems and a family health emergency have kept me from reading the blogs of those who commented and/or participated in the challenge. Thank you for your comments which will result in a contribution to the East Chicago Public Library.
Thanks for making a difference! We are also participating: http://www.brimfulcuriosities.com/2010/03/2010-library-loving-blog-challenge-you.html
There better be libraries in heaven. Woot!
Thanks for supporting a library.
I'm always excited about this challenge and this is my second year to participate. So far the turnout to support libraries has been super. Yeah!
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