An abundance of wonderful books – children’s books, science fiction, drama, adventure, mystery, self-help, health, travel, religious and spiritual, biographies, poetry, textbooks, and much more – were recently donated to the Maryland Book Bank by Pathology employees as part of our Lab Week activities.
Lorraine Blagg, education and development coordinator of Transfusion Medicine, thought of the idea and organized our book drive which cumulated in 32 boxes of 882 books and 87 textbooks. The boxes were dropped off directly to the Maryland Book Bank located at 501 North Calvert Street in Baltimore City.
Mark Feiring, founder and executive director of the Maryland Book Bank, said he was “thankful for the wonderful donation as the Book Bank is in dire need for books for the summer so the kids can participate in their summer reading programs.”
The Maryland Book Bank works primarily with teachers and children in Baltimore City where many children don’t have any books of their own (something difficult to fathom). It is very exciting for children to pick out books for themselves or receive them from their teachers. The acquisition of children’s books helps City schools build their libraries, and enables children and teens to build libraries of their own.
Schools and families are welcome to directly pick up children’s books from the Bank. Their children’s books are also distributed through WIC and DSS programs. A nonprofit organization, the Maryland Book Bank distributes the donated children books, and sells and recycles the adult books. The Book Bank distributes over 150,000 free books each year. Books may be dropped off at the Maryland Book Bank seven days a week.
Special thanks to Lorraine and to the employees who donated books!
Renata Karlos
Staff Assistant
Department of Pathology
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland