Brianna Karp Donated Her Own Book
A memoir about growing up in rough circumstances, in the Jehovah Witness faith, Brianna's book is a story about securing housing, then losing it again. Thanks for the donation, Brianna, and best of luck.
Tommy Loves Street Books
He works at a café nearby, and has offered to make us coffees on the house. Thanks for your support, Tommy.
We Made An Exception
James, a Portland City Bike Patrol Officer, cruised by the library and stopped to tell us what a great idea he thinks it is. I thanked him for his kind words. As he was leaving he glanced at the cart and a title caught his eye: "Into Thin Air," by John Krakauer. He said he's been on the waiting list for the book at Multnomah County library for several weeks. "Do you have to be homeless to check out a book?" he asked me. I issued him a card, and sent him on his way. We're in the business of connecting people to books, and even though our primary aim is to serve people living outside, we are not above making an exception from time to time. Happy reading, James.
Writers Interest Piqued
- Karl Friedrich, Camas author of the newly released book, "WINGS: a novel of WW II Flygirls" stopped by Street Books to say hello on Saturday.
- Watch a short televison news spot where Karl talks about his book and the inspiration for writing it.
Serendipitous Meetings
Mark Wyatt stopped me on my way to the Park Blocks shift. He was jubilant about Street Books. "Man, I wish you guys had been around about 20 years ago," he said. He told me that he was homeless for about 8 years, but he lives in a home now. Thanks for your support, Matt!
SB Supporter Schemes About Rain Protection
What do you all need? Rob asked me in the course of our conversation at the street library on Saturday. We need a place to store our back stock and we need rain protection for the cart, I replied. Immediately, Rob began building a canopy in his mind (captured here in this photo). He explained his thoughts about the rain gear and suggested a church, just a few blocks away that might be open to storing some books for us. Thank you, Rob!
Maggie Rogers Finds Us on a Sunny Day
Maggie Rogers was at the square when I arrived for my shift. She had a lovely selection of books to donate to Street Books, and though we have been inundated with book donations, I could simply not say, "No". Maggie had been by the cart on a rainy day in early June, but returned to donate books and give Street Books many accolades. Thanks Maggie! We couldn't do the work we do without the support of such a loving (and well read) community!
Donations fill the cart.
It is a wonderful thing, really. We have started to devise a plan for book donations as we are inundated with them right now (which is wonderful and difficult). Still, I just can't turn away good books or people. Marti Anderson and Karen Jensen stopped by with donations and accolades for Street Books. The feeling is mutual ladies. Thank you!
Roger Came by Bicycle
To donate seven great paperbacks to the Street Books library. Thanks again, Roger.
A Collaborative Project Yields a Donation for Street Books
Erin Osborne, an AmeriCorps member with Metropolitan Family Services, partnered with her school to do a penny drive to earn books for our library. Students from Lynchwood Elementary's S.U.N. program, along with Beth Wright-Kuhns, Broadway Books and Beaverton City Young Adult Librarian Dawn Borgardt, all collaborated to add new young adult books to our Street Books collection. Students also created lovely laminated book marks (complete with drawings and poems) for our patrons. Thank you to everyone who participated. Pictured: Erin and her daughter Aida
Author Anthony Doerr Donates a Copy of His Book
Based in Boise, Idaho, Doerr is an incredibly good short story writer, and he recently sent a copy of his latest collection, Memory Wall, to the Street Books library. Thanks, Anthony!
"Orfan" Finds a Home at Street Books
Corie Skolnick spent much of her time writing her book, "Orfan" - which was published at the first of the year - right here in Portland, Oregon. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a psychology instructor at California State University, Northridge and Moorpark College. She is in town for an upcoming reading of her book at the Huffman Center in Manzanita, Oregon on August 20.
Corie pedaled over to Street Books after reading about our project on Sam Sattler's blog, Book Chase. She stopped by to donated signed copies of her book, "Orfan" and two others: "The Crime Writer" by Gregg Hurwitz and "Becoming Patrick" by Patrick Mcmahon. We are honored to grace our shelves with your book Corie! Best of luck to you and thanks!
Read more about the day at Skidmore Fountain.
Yotum Wanted Vonnegut
But we had just checked out the last title, (have now restocked, thanks to donations). He's on the road from Jerusalem, headed to the coastline to do some woofing & kite-surfing. He said he'd flown a few places before realizing that he prefers to travel by land.
Passersby Pedal Up to Street Books
Melinda pedaled 18 miles into Portland to grab some lunch, but not before stopping to give Street Books some grand accolades. So many folks stop by the library to find out what we are doing. Many already know and just want to say, "Thanks for doing this." And everybody wants to donate books! Thanks from the whole Street Books family -- we appreciate all of our patrons!
Read more about the day at Skidmore Fountain at www.suezalokar.com
AB Came Around
I sort of think of him as someone who has been there since the very beginning, since that first fateful Street Books shift when he rolled up and studied our contraption and said, "Have you got a permit for that thing?" The rest is history, and AB is a great supporter of our project these days. He said he's going to retire in a few years and become a gypsy. I'll bet we'll have a couple of paperbacks to send along with him, when the times comes.
Tin House Throws In
Street Books got a visit from the lovely Vanessa Hargett of Tin House, Portland's own stellar literary magazine and publishing house. She brought along a box of their finest titles to donate to our library. Thanks again to Tin House, and to Vanessa for coming down to deliver books.
Geoff Brunk Brought Books to Give
Really great titles, too. The kind that you might expect a librarian from Multnomah County to bring. Geoff works in Library Outreach Services, as the Shelter Program Coordinator, directing volunteers who take books to shelters, halfway houses, drop-in centers and etc. We appreciate his support at Street Books so much. Hats off to Geoff, who made time to come and donate 2 boxes of books to our library.
Cory & Josie Brought Books
They stopped at a garage sale and bought heaps of titles they knew Street Books could use. Thanks again, friends.
j
A Group of Girls Came By the Library
They had just sold their books at Powells bookstore in exchange for a $100 gift card which they donated to Street Books. Thanks to Grace, Blakely, Holly, Avery, Helen, Macy and Kari.
