Open Books is
Open Books West Loop is open for walk-in business
10am-6pm Monday thru Wednesday
10am-7pm Friday thru Sunday
Open Books Pilsen Self-Service Bookstore is open weather permitting
9am-6pm Monday thru Friday
10am-4pm Saturday thru Sunday
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Open Books is thrilled and honored to be bringing Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to our city as their exclusive Chicago affiliate for children ages 0-5!
Buy Books to Build Home Libraries for Under-Resourced Chicago Children
With schools closed and Chicago Public Schools encouraging independent reading time, building at home libraries is vital to children’s success now more than ever.
All proceeds benefit our Book Granting program to get even more books into kids’ hands.
We Want Your Books!
Each year, generous readers donate hundreds of thousands of books to support literacy. We sell those books in our stores and online to help fund our programs, use and give them away in our literacy and book grant programs.
Virtual Writing Workshops
For teachers looking for something different for their class, we are now offering 1-hour writing workshops for 3rd-8th grade students.
Virtual Creative Writing Club!
Join us for writing prompts, games, & a chance to share your writing with others. We hope to see you there!
Financial Donation
The generosity of donors helps us engage more than 6,000 youth through our literacy programs and give way more than 180,000 books to children and families each year. Together, we can transform lives through reading, writing, and the giving power of used books.
Literacy Resources
Check out these great literacy resources while you shelter in place
For Parents, PreK, and Grades 1-12!
2020 Open Books Writing Contest WINNERS
We received many outstanding submissions and were faced with an incredibly difficult decision. Each piece was judged in a two-part judging process, and after much deliberation, we are thrilled to announce the winners from each age group.
Please join us in celebrating the following young writers:
Pilsen
Visit StoreStore is temporarily closed.
Open for Donations (ring the bell or call when you arrive):
Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm
Sat-Sun, 10am-4pm
905 W. 19th St.
Chicago, IL 60608
312.243.9776
Volunteer
To get started as a volunteer, please join us for a new volunteer information session!
Literacy Programs
Open Books transforms students’ reading and writing skills through experienced educators who deliver innovative instruction, passionate volunteers who serve as positive role models and provide enthusiastic support, safe learning environments for practice, exploration, and social-emotional growth, and access to high-quality books and tailored curricula.
We collect used books.
All books in good condition are welcome, and all donations are tax-deductible. Find out what we take and how to get them to us.
We sell and grant them.
We give books to students in our instructional programs, donate them to educators and students through our book programs, and sell them in our Chicago stores and online.
They fund our programs.
We provide transformational literacy experiences for more than 5,000 K-12 students every year, from reading help through novel-writing.
Volunteers = magic.
Volunteers work with our students, organize our books, staff our events, and make everything happen.
Help Build Home Libraries
Building home libraries is vital to children’s success, and Open Books can help — with a little help from you! Check out the many ways you can support our mission to get more books into the hands of Chicago kids.