Books are Essential.
Buy New Kids Books To Donate Directly To Children.
Virtual Book Trivia Night!
Join Open Books on Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 pm for a night of literature trivia fun! Gather all your book nerds and library lovers for some fun book trivia supporting literacy programs in Chicago.
Open Books Writing Competition 2020
Sponsored by Dolores McArdle Reading Trust
Open to all 3rd-12th grade students, with a focus on those in the Chicagoland area.
Students can submit a short story, non-fiction essay, personal narrative, or poem.
Maximum length 2,500 words.
Submissions close Friday, May 8, 2020.
Shop Our Books Online
Our online bookstore is open! Free shipping on all orders $10 or more. All purchases support our programs, and are vital to keeping Open Books as a part of the community.
Team Bookin' It 2020
Open Books' annual fundraiser Team Bookin' It (TBI) brings together runners, readers, and walkers in support of literacy.
Literacy Resources
Check out these great literacy resources while you shelter in place
For Parents, PreK, and Grades 1-12!
Financial Donation
The generosity of donors helps us engage more than 5,000 youth through our literacy programs and give way more than 150,000 books to children and families each year. Together, we can transform lives through reading, writing, and the giving power of used books.
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.
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!
West Loop
Visit StoreMon-Sat 9am–7pm
Sun 12pm–6pm
651 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60661
312.475.1355 ext.100
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.
Get news from Open Books in your inbox every month! Our regular newsletter and emails include upcoming events, information about our programs, upcoming sales at our stores, and all things Open Books.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact