In the Reading and Educating at a Distance (R.E.A.D.) Book Club, we have a tremendous love of reading. We are also aware that there have been books lost to time’s damage so that no one will have a chance to read them.
That is why our club members love the idea of adopting books through the Smithsonian Adopt-a-Book program. This program preserves books by allowing donors to choose books to adopt.
Book adoptions allow the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives to build their collection and restore books. The books are also digitized to bring these published works to a broader audience.
Adopted Books by the R.E.A.D. Book Club
Since 2021, the R.E.A.D. Book Club has adopted one book each year:
These adoptions involve repairing any damage that the book may have and taking precautions to ensure it remains in the best condition possible.
Completed Work on ‘The Magic Island’
Conservators completed the restoration of “The Magic Island” in the National Museum of African American History and Culture Library in 2024. They repaired the book’s damaged cover and cracked spine, and added new, acid-free endpapers to help maintain the book’s condition in the future.
The R.E.A.D. Book Club’s Goals and Ways to Participate
As the bookplate in each restored book indicates, the amazing members of the R.E.A.D. Book Club have been able to preserve books for future generations. Our goal is to enable all to continue their love of reading and hopefully pass on this love to others.
Our participation in the Smithsonian’s Adopt-a-Book program is just one of many service projects supported by the R.E.A.D. Book Club, including its signature legacy project Random Acts of Reading. If you would like to learn more about our club and our service projects, including how you can join the book discussions each month, please visit the R.E.A.D. Book Club’s website!
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