Just in Time for the Holidays,15,000 Books for the Navajo Nation

Just in time for the holidays, 15,000 books, as well as, computers and toys are heading for the Navajo Nation.

The donation is the second that Reader to Reader has made this year to the Navajo nation Library and brings the 2011 total books donated to the Navajo Nation to over 50,000 books. 13,000 new children's books were donated to 33 schools in August.

Navajo Nation Library director Irving Nelson commented on the quality of the books. “The books we get from Reader to Reader are outstanding. This past year we were able to discard 17,000 old, worn-out books and replace them with the great books that Reader to Reader donates. There are books for every age, every reading level, and every interest.”

The books left Reader to Reader on Tuesday morning, and Irving Nelson will spend five days driving them back to Window Rock, Arizona. It is a long trip but definitely worth it says Nelson.

“I look forward to coming back in July for the next 15,000 books. These books not only help our library, but they also are used all over the Navajo Nation. We deliver them to Boys and Girls clubs, correctional facilities, and senior centers as well.”

The books came from lots of sources, including publishers and individual donors. The Bement School in Deerfield, Massachusetts collected over 2,000 children's books.

“The books took six months to collect, but only three hours to load thanks to a great team of hard-working volunteers,” notes Reader to Reader founder David Mazor.

The latest shipment also includes 40 boxes of books for area schools, and a batch of computers to replace antiquated computers at Navajo Pine Middle School in Navajo, New Mexico. The computers were donated through Reader to Reader’s computer donation program that supplies refurbished Dell computers to build computer labs and outfit classrooms.

Hundreds of books and donated toys will be given out to children in time for the holidays. In addition, over a thousand new children’s books were donated to Navajo Nation First Lady Martha Shelly. The First Lady travels across the 27,000 square-mile Navajo Nation to read to children and give out books to encourage literacy.