The response rate we've gotten may not be as high as some campaigns could get, but I feel like the quality of responses must certainly make up the difference. Taking the time to pack a book and ship it to us really takes a lot more effort than just dropping your pennies into a change jar at the grocery store, but so many people have gone the extra mile not only to ship books, but to ship a lot of books, and also to ask their friends, colleagues, and professors for books too.
We've had three people now offer to do full-fledged book drives, and if they are all half as successful as Richard and I have been in getting books from our own neighborhoods, then we will have more than we know what to do with. Figuratively speaking, of course, I have no doubt that everything we receive will find a good home and be put to good use.
Here's a quick rundown of our progress so far:
- I have about six years of perfect-condition back-issue National Geographics, seven books on topics ranging from human rights to global warming to education, and five children's books currently sitting in my room/office.
- One subscription to The Economist has been donated by Shauna to the Kachin Development Organization in Malaysia.
- 30 pounds of math textbooks are en-route to Portland from Rick in California.
- Rebecca from Seller Engine Software invited me out to their Portland warehouse to sift through their bins of excess books, and four or five boxes of them are now waiting to be delivered here on Tuesday. Among them are biology, sociology, and anthropology textbooks, some intro level general computer texts, a few children's books, and some assorted fiction and non-fiction books.
- A large collection of books is awaiting pick-up by Richard in Charleston. (Here's hoping he has room for storing them all!)
- At least two other smaller packages of books that are confirmed to be en-route. Just going by the requests for the shipping addresses though, there are certainly several more shipments currently or soon-to-be en-route.
- $90.00 in cash donations.
- One volunteer to hand deliver a couple books during a holiday visit to Thailand.
With our November book drive being just over halfway through, I'd say that's all not too shabby. We'll continue to collect as many books as we can for the next two weeks - so keep those donations coming! At this point, children's books, and books on current events or politics and development, particularly those with a non-western perspective, would be especially useful. Ultimately, we will continue to accept books year-round, but come January, we will be focusing on the practical side of things - getting a dedicated website up, applying for non-profit sponsorship, packing boxes and finding the money ship everything over to Asia.
We've also had a few more groups that have expressed interest in receiving books, which extends our potential outreach to include Arakanese, Chin, and Rohingya groups in Bangladesh and India, as well as those already in Thailand and Malaysia. U Sang at the Chin Refugee Committee in Malaysia tells me they are currently renting 5 flats in and around Kuala Lumpur to accommodate the 300 children currently attending classes. Just a year ago there were only 100 children. The classes are taught by volunteers who are also Chin refugees, so they've been working very hard lately and will no doubt appreciate not only the books, but the show of support they represent.
A big thanks to everyone who's donated so far, and those who are currently working to collect books on our behalf. It's really, truly appreciated. A big thanks also to the bloggers, particularly Andrew Sullivan, who've supported us and helped to spread the word.