Half Pint Library Shows Big Heart

Everyone knows bookstores sell books, but what most people may not know is that one local bookstore gives them away for free.

Half Price Books, 5605 W. Touhy Ave. in Niles, gives teachers and school librarians 600-1,000 books every week as part of the company’s Half Pint Library program.

Manager Nathan Cockerill said the bookstore chain runs large book drives and then donates large amounts of books to area hospitals and schools. His store, like others, continues the program year-round for teachers and school librarians.

“We don’t like any book to go to waste,” Cockerill said. “We know that [teachers] don’t get enough money, and we want to help out schools and kids. It’s just something that we were founded on.”

The Half Pint Library program has provided more than 2.5 million books to children since its inception in 1999, according to the company’s website.

Janine Nelson received a box of free books for her students Monday. Nelson teaches seventh- and eighth-graders at Belding Elementary School in the Mayfair-Old Irving Park neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago.

Nelson said she visited the bookstore to shop for books for herself, and noticed a laminated sign hanging on the front door that announced: “Are you a teacher seeking donations for your school or classroom? We have several boxes a week available for donation. Please ask a bookseller inside.”

The Chicago Public School’s teacher said she would select the appropriate donated books for her students’ grade level as part of her classroom library and share the rest with other teachers. Nelson said the Half Pint Library program was terrific because of her desire for new books to stock in her classroom library.

“This is a great way to do it without having to pay for them out of my pocket,” the grade school teacher said. “And I think it’s a nice outreach to the community.”

Nelson said her students read everyday in the classroom because studies have shown reading daily improves students’ comprehension and their rate of reading.

“And when they can choose the book, I think it encourages a love of reading too,” Nelson said.