Connecting children needing books with books needing children!

We thank you for visiting and welcome you to our site!  Bernie's Book Bank is a not-for profit organization founded in and fueled by the memory of Dr. Bernard P. Floriani.  “Big Bernie”, as he was known to many, loved books and loved to read!   He spent his entire professional life promoting literacy, advancing literacy programs and teaching reading instructors the art of effective reading instruction.  Bernie understood that reading is the single most important skill a child needs to learn in order to contribute and function competently within our society. Today, Bernie’s passion for reading and his understanding of the importance of good quality book ownership for all children have culminated in the formation of Bernie's Book Bank!   

Our Mission is to collect and redistribute any and all un-utilized children’s books to those in need throughout Chicagoland and beyond.

We Know that reading is the single most important skill a child needs to learn in order to contribute and function competently within our society.

We Believe children’s book ownership, starting at a very young age, is imperative to gaining an appreciation for books, developing “reading readiness”, supporting literacy growth throughout the primary years and ultimately becoming a skilled reader!

Our Vision is to develop into the most efficient “Children’s Book Bank” in Chicagoland, becoming the experts in leveraging fully the value of “recycled” children’s books.   Through effectively creating awareness and developing valuable relationships, we expect to make every child a book owner while creating a children’s book bank model that can and will be replicated in other major cities.