Wyoming, Michigan, December 11, 2007 - More than 2,500 children's books are headed to Metro Health Hospital thanks to the generosity of West Michigan residents and Barnes & Noble Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville.
Barnes & Noble, the nation's largest bookseller, designated the Metro Health Hospital Foundation as the recipient of its 2007 Children's Book Drive. During November and December, shoppers checking out at the Grandville store were asked to add a children's book to their purchase that would be donated to the Wyoming hospital.
Donations, which range from picture books to chapter books, will be given to children throughout the year free of charge. Children admitted to the hospital or visiting friends or relatives will be invited to select a book and then take it home with them.
The first round of books will be delivered to Metro Health by Barnes & Noble store representatives on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 10 a.m. The event is open to the media.
"We are delighted to have Metro Health as one of our newest neighbors, and we wanted to do something special to welcome them to our community," said Chris Hackstedt, the Grandville store manager of Barnes & Noble. "The community response to our children's book drive has been nothing short of phenomenal - our entire staff has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the community.
"At Barnes & Noble, our goal is to be a true community gathering place. Initiatives such as our annual children's book drive allow us to establish connections between residents, organizations and businesses that provide long-lasting benefits to our entire community."
Barnes & Noble began the book drive Nov. 1. Hackstedt credited Erin Neil, head cashier, Linda Arnold Schuhardt, community relations manager, and the entire sales team at the Grandville store with the success of the program.
Shoppers were invited to either donate one of dozens of children's books located at each register or select a book themselves. Hackstedt said that Barnes & Noble placed a bookplate in each book, giving donors the opportunity to sign their name or give anonymously. All donations for the drive, which ends Dec. 31, are tax deductible.
"We are so appreciative of the continued generosity of West Michigan residents and the leadership of businesses like Barnes & Noble," said Mike Faas, president and CEO of Metro Health. "This donation will help make a trip to the hospital a little more enjoyable for our youngest patients and visitors. We look forward to passing this wonderful gift along to the children in our community."
Infants and toddlers through high school students will be able to find and keep a book that speaks to them. Donated books include:
- Holiday books
- Heavy-duty board books
- Activity books
- Bilingual books in French and Spanish
- Classics, such as Goodnight Moon, Polar Express and Brown Bear, Brown Bear
"What better present can you give a child at the holidays than a book," Hackstedt asked. "Our staff, who also contributed many books to the drive, shared a number of wonderful anecdotes from customers during the past six weeks - from the man who bought two books for Metro Health, which had just given his wife a job, to the many shoppers who asked how many books they were able to donate."
About Barnes & Noble, Inc.
Barnes & Noble, Inc. (NYSE: BKS), a Fortune 500 company, is the world's largest bookseller, operating 793 stores in 50 states. According to the EquiTrend® Brand Study by Harris Interactive®, Barnes & Noble is the nation's top bookseller brand for the fourth year in a row. Barnes & Noble pioneered the concept of the book superstore, combining vast inventory selection in books, music, DVD and magazines with comfortable ambiance. For more information, visit http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.