The Trojan Family has another opportunity to support neighborhood schools and the environment by donating books during a USC book drive in conjunction with the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

Donations will augment budget-strapped libraries, improve learning opportunities and salvage books that otherwise may end up unused or in landfills. USC Government and Civic Engagement and Target are sponsoring the drive.

The drive, to be held from April 18 through May 1, will benefit the USC Family of Schools and the Target Corp.’s partner schools.

USC students, faculty and staff can donate new or gently used books that are appropriate for children in kindergarten through the fifth grade. Book drops will be available at all University Park campus entrances, the Biggie Street entrance on the Health Sciences campus, and at the bookstores on both campuses for the rest of the month.

“Our hope is to receive at least 2,000 books during the drive, which is more than double the 800 books that usually are collected by Target’s book drives,” said Kim Thomas-Barrios, program director for the USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative. “I know that through the generosity of the festival attendees, USC students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends, we will not only meet, but exceed our goal.”

The USC Family of Schools has compiled a wish list of books available at festivalofbooks.usc.edu and at the Pertusati and Health Sciences campus bookstores.

The stores will have a selection of wish list books for sale, including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Story of Eli Whitney by Jean Lee Latham and Touchdown: The Power and Precision of Football’s Perfect Play by Mark Stewart and Mike Kennedy.

“With drastic cuts looming for the Los Angeles Unified School District, library funding is a luxury our school can’t afford,” said Foshay Learning Center teacher Lisa Beebe. “The donated books from USC will help refresh my outdated classroom library and place interesting, new books in my students’ hands. Learning is not a luxury!”

Target also will have a donation station at the festival, which will be held April 30 and May 1 at the University Park campus.

The festival is now in its 16th year and for the first time will be held at USC. It is expected to attract 150,000 book lovers from across Southern California.

USC’s central location will help the Los Angeles Times meet its original goal in creating the festival: “To bring together the people who create books with the people who love to read them.” The move from UCLA also will allow for expanded offerings, more exhibit and sponsor space, and enlarged concessions and live entertainment areas.

The festival will include 400 ethnically and culturally diverse authors (including many from USC), as well as hundreds of booksellers, publishers, and literacy and cultural organizations.

As host, USC will provide live entertainment on stages located in Hahn Plaza and Harris Hall 101 (Gin Wong Auditorium), as well as panel discussions, musical performances and exhibitions featuring faculty from many of the university’s schools and departments.

The USC Government and Civic Engagement booth (#736) will feature visits by authors Jervey Tervalon, Susan Straight, Jonathan Gold and teenage writer Ryan Lederer, who will give away autographed copies of The Adventures of Captain Candy.

For more information about the book drive, contact Kim Thomas-Barrios at thomasba@usc.edu or (213) 740-6313.

Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC
Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1
10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Sunday)
Free admission
University Park campus

Because of the large number of expected attendees, the use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.

For complete festival information, visit festivalofbooks.usc.edu

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