It's safe to say that February is most known for being the month of love, with the 14th day being Valentines Day. All over the world, media has popularized the holiday and it's become a culture to celebrate the season of love through various gestures and activities we most often see through chocolates, flowers, and heart-shaped balloons, candies, pillows, anything.
While it's practically tradition and holds importance on its own, it's not the only event happening every February 14th - Enter a less popular, inevident, but definitely existing holiday: International Book Giving Day.
Originating in 2012 from (naturally) a librarian - Amy Broadmoore, founder of Delightful Children's Books and The Curious Kid's Librarian, together with Zoe Toft, Playing by the Book blogger. Eventually, the initiative was passed on to Emma Perry, a children's book author.
While it seems pretty self-explanatory, the International Book Giving Day is "a 100% volunteer initiative aimed at increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for books."
Books is one of the oldest and still well-loved forms of story telling, for all people, young and old. The genres and types are so vast - fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, historical, romantic, horror, self-help, philosophy, academic, comedy, with illustrations - the list goes on and on. There is something for everyone, but unfortunately, not everyone can access these books.
In our country, there are libraries - mostly academic ones found within schools. Libraries are, sadly, absent among smaller towns and barangays.
That's why we would also like to bring more light to this underrated holiday. Now that we are aware, it's only right that we celebrate International Book Giving Day. Here are some ways we can volunteer:
1. Donate books to your local library
- Whether or not there is a library near you, you can still donate books (as well as journals, magazines, or other reading materials) to public libraries through here.
- Look around your house, there may be some reading materials you've already read and probably won't read again lying around. Pass it on. Sharing is caring.
2. Gift and/or read a book to a child
- Be that ate/kuya/tito/tita/mama/papa who introduces a child to the wonderful world of books and reading
- Children's picture books are relatively cheaper and more accessible. Grab a few from the local bookstore (we suggest Book Sale) and give them as gifts to your younger relatives or your friends' kids.
3. Lend or give a book to anyone
- Books are for all ages, and there are still teenagers, young adults, full grown adults who are yet to discover the joys of reading books. Gift a book to a friend, to a stranger, to anyone.
4. Spread the word, encourage others
- Tell your friends, colleagues, and everyone by sharing this article. Visit our Facebook page and share the post for all your friends to see.
And of course, with giving comes receiving, and that's where you might come in! In spirit of the International Book Giving Day, The Film Dream is collaborating with BookTok Content Creator, jenthelion02 in holding none other than a book(s) giveaway! BookTok(Ph) is an ever-growing community of readers, booklovers, and book collectors based in the Philippines on the TikTok app/site. Jen (jenthelion02) is one of the many content creators passionate about reading and now, excited to share her love of it by literally sharing books to anyone desiring to read.
The giveaway is open to any interested readers residing in the Philippines. For the full details and mechanics, check out the pinned video on jenthelion02’s Tiktok account.
Happy International Reading Day!