{"id":455419,"date":"2026-10-03T17:06:24","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T17:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/455419\/"},"modified":"2026-10-03T17:06:24","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T17:06:24","slug":"get-involved-spotlight-bookspring-kut-radio-austins-npr-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/455419\/","title":{"rendered":"Get Involved spotlight: Bookspring | KUT Radio, Austin’s NPR Station"},"content":{"rendered":"

From\u00a0BookSpring<\/a>, this month’s Get Involved spotlight nonprofit:<\/p>\n

Volunteer Opportunities for Book Lovers
BookSpring works every day to inspire a love of reading with children and families in Central Texas. Part of that mission includes helping families stock their home libraries because 20 books in a home make a big difference in a child\u2019s development.<\/p>\n

It takes a village to achieve these goals.<\/p>\n

Volunteers are a crucial part of that village.<\/p>\n

You can organize a book drive with your neighborhood, school or workplace. We also need volunteers who can come to BookSpring\u2019s headquarters and sort donated books and help organize them by grade-level, by language and by topic. Every book goes to their new home with a couple of stickers from BookSpring with more resources for family learning. We even need volunteers to sticker books!<\/p>\n

You can come by yourself, or volunteer with a group. We have one-time events, or ongoing opportunities to help make a difference for families who can\u2019t afford books.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s sure to be a place in BookSpring where your talents can be put to great use for growing young readers in our community.<\/p>\n

About BookSpring
BookSpring is an Austin-based nonprofit that began in 1974<\/a> as two separate community-based groups: Reading Is Fundamental of Austin and Capital Area Reach Out and Read. The two merged in 2008 and became BookSpring. Still, we have been providing book access and other reading resources to Central Texas children for more than 50 years!<\/p>\n

Our vision is a world of families reading and succeeding together.<\/p>\n

We distribute tens of thousands of books in many languages year round. And we do that in many ways: sometimes, we ship books directly to families, we have an open access digital library where families can connect from anywhere in the world, we also provide reading and learning opportunities through a digital catalogue, we distribute children\u2019s books to Title I schools, to children in rural communities, and to children who are homeschooled, among many others.<\/p>\n

Our book distributions are not limited to homes and schools, we also do book distributions through other local non-profits like Communities in Schools, Any Baby Can, EGBI, Trinity Center, etc. And we also do them in local parks, local clinics and even at Neonatal Intensive Care Units because preemie families often don\u2019t have baby showers, so they miss the opportunity of receiving books from family and friends.<\/p>\n

How You Can Help
BookSpring\u2019s goal is for every child to have a personal library of at least 20 books.<\/p>\n

\u25cf You can help by giving us gently used books. Donate at one of our four book donation bins or at our HQ in South Austin.\u00a0<\/a>
\u25cf You can volunteer<\/a> for book sorting, leveling and stickering; delivery driving, set up and read alouds in schools, or special events
\u25cf You can help us write<\/a>, illustrate, translate and edit children\u2019s books through BookSpring Originals.<\/p>\n

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\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0bookspring1.png\n <\/p>\n

Jessy Morris reads to children during a Bookspring event at Montopolis Park, May 13, 2026<\/p>\n

Joy Diaz<\/p>\n

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\n \u00a0\u2014\u00a0bookspring2.png\n <\/p>\n

Books available at a Bookspring book giveaway <\/p>\n

Joy Diaz<\/p>\n

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Joy Diaz reading to children at a Bookspring event, September 24, 2026<\/p>\n

Julio Moreno<\/p>\n

Our Programs:<\/p>\n

Bookspring Originals<\/a>
Our newest program is a growing collection of open access bilingual English-Spanish children\u2019s books by volunteer creatives We created BookSpring Originals in response to frequent requests from the families, schools, libraries, clinics, and nonprofit partners we serve. They need beautiful, engaging bilingual books that children want to open and adults want to share\u2014but high-quality Spanish-English books are often hard to find at an affordable price. BookSpring Originals helps close that gap with joyful, culturally responsive bilingual books.<\/p>\n

Books For Me<\/a>
Books For Me is a free book fair for PK-5 schools and childcare centers. We curate books by grade level, language, and interest and provide activity kits for read alouds and follow up activities for teachers and parents. The idea is to distribute the books in a way that allows the child to choose their own titles and language. Do you work at a childcare center or elementary school with 70% or more low socioeconomic status students in Texas? If so, you can apply to host a Books for Me (K-6) or Early Books for Me (Birth- PK4) event at your site! Apply for your organization to be a partner<\/a>.<\/p>\n

ReadWell<\/a>
For over 30 years, BookSpring has been supporting pediatric literacy through healthcare providers. This partnership works because of the unique relationship between parents and medical providers to develop critical early reading skills in very young children from birth through age 6. Literacy research<\/a> shows not only improved educational outcomes from pediatric literacy interventions, but improved health outcomes as well. If you are a healthcare provider who works with low-income children in Central Texas, you can apply to become a part of ReadWell and get books for your pediatric practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Open Book<\/a>
The Open Book program is a partnership between BookSpring and other organizations who want to do their own book gifting event. These events provide gently used books to groups that work with low income families in Central Texas. BookSpring provides a selection of board books, chapter books, picture books, and young adult books with preference given to high needs areas. Non-profit and civic organizations can apply on a first-come, first serve basis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why BookSpring Efforts Matter and the Community Impact of Our Work<\/a> \u00a0
Literacy changes lives. Book access changes lives. In a world where everything is more expensive, families struggle providing their children with basic needs such as food and shelter. In such a world, books can be seen as non-essential or even as luxury items. We beg to differ.<\/p>\n

When you volunteer with BookSpring, you are doing your part so families can grow their access, habits, skills and motivation that support a lifelong love of reading high quality books in the language of their choice. This gift is invaluable.<\/p>\n

Get Involved<\/a>
Your talents are just what BookSpring needs to continue serving Central Texas for the next 50 years. Welcome to the team! You too can be a part of an organization that changes the world.<\/p>\n

Volunteer<\/a> for BookSpring today!<\/p>\n

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