Thursday, December 28, 2000

Books offer sick children some escape

Getting 10,000 books donated by the end of March may be an ambitious goal. But it is one volunteers are determined to meet in order to put a book in the hands of every child who comes through the Half Pint Library at Driscoll Children's Hospital.
   At this library, there is no checking out of books. No late return fees to worry about.
   All this library offers is an invitation to open wide the doors of the imagination, giving each child receiving treatment at the hospital one free book of their choosing to take home. The library also makes books available to patients' siblings and other young visitors to the hospital.
   In an effort to restock the shelves, a book drive, sponsored by Half Price Books, will be held from Jan. 8 through March 31. This is Half Price Books' third annual book drive, which will help stock 63 Half Pint libraries in pediatric centers and hospitals nationwide, 19 of which are in Texas.
   The healing power of books comes in the form of escape, said Rachel Phillips, director of public relations for Dallas-based Half Price Books.
   "It allows them to forget, if only for a little while, the traumatic experience they are going through," said Phillips, whose own nieces and nephews recently pulled 25 books from their own home libraries to donate to the drive.
   Last year contributions nationwide tripled, bringing in 330,000 books. The national 2001 Book Drive goal is 500,000.
   Local goal doubles
   The local book goal of 10,000 is double that of last year, said Kathleen Hall, director of volunteer services at Driscoll. The Half Pint Library there gave away as many as 20,000 books during 2000.
   Especially needed are books for preschoolers, kindergartners and first graders, said volunteer Helen Rambo. Rambo and Mary Reynolds, both retired elementary language arts teachers, man the Half Pint Library on the first floor of the hospital.
   The take-home books are also available in the emergency room waiting area, the rehabilitation area and the fifth-floor waiting room. Book content is suitable for all students, from preschool to 12th grade.
   To donate new or gently used books, look for bins at Half Price Books, 5425 S. Padre Island Drive in Moore Plaza, or any other Half Price Books location nationwide. Also, book donations can be dropped off at Driscoll's Information Center between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
   'Bring them a smile'
   "When we look ahead for this program, we want to focus not just on hospitals and healing facilities, but any nonprofit facilities that have a need for children's reading material," Phillips said. Such future locations might include recreational facilities and Boys and Girls clubs.
   "We really feel like this has become truly the most important book drive for children." Phillips said.
   "Christmas is over. And we're overjoyed that so many kids got their scooters and Poo-chis (robotic dogs). But what can we do for these kids who are sick? Bring them a smile. Donate a book that can take them away on an adventure and let them dream."