St Michael's House: Bring a Book, Buy a Book

The Campaign

We are asking company staff to bring second hand books from their homes and buy donated books from their colleagues at a cost of €2 per book.  This can be set up in a staff common area over a morning/day/evening, and work on a trust or be manned by a staff member.  The campaign is to encourage reading for all.

Each location receives a starter pack consisting of: promotional posters, bookmarks, bags, stickers and donation box.

The St. Michael’s House Bring a Book, Buy a Book Campaign 2010 is in association with Children’s Books Ireland, World Book Day and the Dublin Book Festival.

Text BOOK to 51500 followed by your name & address to register and receive a starter pack for ‘Bring a Book, Buy a Book’ 2010 visit www.smh.ie or call Dublin 01 2990 500.

To make a Virtual Book donation text SMH to 57502.
Text cost €2 plus standard rate SMS.
All proceeds go to St.Michael’s House.
Charity Reg::CHY 5692. SP: MSERVE 01-499 5939.
 

Reading for all

The campaign began with a pilot program in 2008. We piloted the campaign with 15 different locations and over €4,500 was raised.

In 2009, we greatly improved our campaign working with leading companies and authors to improve its success. Over 117 companies took part in 2009 with excellent reports of boosting staff morale and team building, while at the same time completing a worthwhile CSR programme. Over €40,000 was raised for Intellectual disabilty in 2009.

We estimate an average of forty five thousand people exchanged books and promotional information about our 2009 campaign.

Promotion

2009: Part of our media campaign involved national and local press coverage in six papers by a high profile launch. Radio advertisements and interviews with St Michael's House and well-known authors who supported our campaign, which were aired for 10 weeks on Dublin's Q102 Radio.

2010: We aim to have over 500 locations. We are working on promotional campaigns for radio and TV. We are seeking well-known authors to support the 2010 campaign. We aim to have one hundred thousand people exchange books in 2010.

Download a bookmark and poster about the scheme for your use.

About St. Michael's House

St. Michael's House is one of the largest organisations in Ireland providing services to children and adults with intellectual disability and their families.  Today St. Michael's House has over 160 community-based centres throughout Dublin City and County.

How to set up your Bring A Book, Buy a Book Event?

Our suggestion

• Put up enclosed posters in common staff areas.
• Send an email to all your staff highlighting this event and requesting for people to bring in books to a common area one week prior to event. This will give you 3 days to put books in order in a common area.
• Group books for ease; Children's books, Cookbooks, Fiction and fantasy novels etc
• Place €2 stickers and bookmarks in books and donation box on table.
• Host a tea/coffee gathering hour or leave for entire day/week for people to browse and donate at their leisure.
• The aim not to be left with lots of unsold books. Stack unsold books together and give away for donation in the final hour.
• Local charity shops will take books. We can help.

Download a participation form to get started.