Nonprofit Fundraising Class Building Library for Boston School

Communication Studies Senior Executive-in-Residence Cathryn Edelstein and On the Same Page, a book equity organization created and run by her Nonprofit Fundraising class, is teaming up with local cafés and a Y in Boston to build a library for the Thomas Edison K-8 School in Brighton, and they need your help.

From March 15-April 1, Emerson community members (and their friends and family) can drop off gently used books at one of 12 Tatte Bakery & Cafes (see list below), the Oak Square YMCA (615 Washington Street, Brighton), or Café Mirror (362 Washington Street, Brighton) and help students at the Edison School thrive.

“School libraries provide students a place to explore interests, gain knowledge, and nurture literacy development,” Edelstein said, but more than 40 percent of Boston Public Schools don’t have a library, the Bay State Banner reports.

This spring’s book drive is part of an effort that began in Fall 2021. Students last semester raised more than 300 inclusive books for the Edison School, but it wasn’t enough to build a library.

The group is looking for picture books, easy reader books, and juvenile chapter books, both fiction and nonfiction. Please do not donate books with torn or marked-up pages, books that are religious or political in nature, catalogs, magazines, encyclopedias, or any other resource material.  

You can follow the campaign on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

In addition to the Y and Café Mirror, donation boxes are located at the following Boston Tatte Bakeries:

Back Bay – 399 Boylston Street

Beacon Hill – 70 Charles Street

Berklee – 160 Massachusetts Avenue

Charlestown – 40 Warren Street

Emerson – 80 Boylston Street

Fenway – 1352 Boylston Street

Northeastern – 369 Huntington Avenue

One Boston Place – 201 Washington Street

Pier 4 – 200 Pier 4 Boulevard

South Boston – 60 Old Colony Avenue

South End – 345 Harrison Avenue

Summer Street – 125 Summer Street

Since 2019, Edelstein and her students, through On the Same Page, have worked to bring inclusive books to Boston Public Schools so that students can see themselves reflected in the stories they read. Each class selects a different BPS school to supply with books, and have worked with elementary to high school levels.