For more than a decade, Kristin Anson has been a dedicated champion of literacy—both inside her classroom and far beyond it. A longtime volunteer at Bernie’s Book Bank’s Processing Center, Kristin has coordinated an annual book drive at St. Norbert School for 13 consecutive years, helping ensure thousands of children have books to call their own.
Kristin’s journey began shortly after she started teaching in 2006. When declining enrollment led to the elimination of her school’s librarian position and library budget, Kristin stepped in to help fill the gap. An avid reader herself, she understood how essential access to books is for helping children develop a love of reading and become lifelong learners. She began running an annual Scholastic Book Fair, using the proceeds to rebuild and support the school library.
Around that same time, Kristin began volunteering at Bernie’s Book Bank, and her perspective widened.
Through her volunteer experience, Kristin saw firsthand how many children across Chicagoland not only lacked access to books at school, but had no books at home at all. As an educator, she knew how critical book ownership is to a child’s language development, comprehension, and long-term academic success.
“When my own children were growing up, we had baskets of books in almost every room in our house,” Kristin shared. “It seemed unfair that so many children were missing out on that opportunity.”
That realization sparked an idea: why not combine efforts to support her school community and children in underserved areas? The result was St. Norbert School’s first book drive, held alongside the annual book fair. Families were encouraged to “clean off their bookshelves” to make room for new reads, and a friendly classroom competition added excitement. The response was overwhelming—nearly 2,000 books were collected and donated during the very first drive.
Seeing the impact of that generosity motivated Kristin to continue the tradition year after year. Today, Kristin personally coordinates every aspect of the drive, supported by an enthusiastic team of helpers: her 5th grade students. Together, they distribute collection bins, track donations, sort and screen books, and prepare them for donation. Along the way, students learn the importance of service and quality, ensuring that only gently used, high-quality books make their way to Bernie’s Book Bank.
This hands-on involvement comes full circle when Kristin brings her students to volunteer at Bernie’s Processing Center.
“One of the first times I brought my 5th grade class to volunteer at Bernie’s, the students were asked to create bags of books,” Kristin recalled. “It was so touching watching them experience the whole process—from collecting books at our school, counting them, processing them, packing them up to be delivered to your warehouse and then getting to create bags of books that would be delivered to children who needed them. I got to be there to experience the “aha” moment when they realized they were truly making a difference.”
In addition to coordinating the book drive, Kristin regularly volunteers at Bernie’s Book Bank herself. She credits the welcoming staff and shared commitment to the mission as reasons she keeps coming back.
“Bernie’s has such an awesome staff!” she said. “We always have fun when we volunteer, especially while working with the donated books. Knowing that we played a part in kids receiving a variety of books to call their own makes it all worth it.”
After 13 years, Kristin’s dedication remains rooted in a deep belief in Bernie’s Book Bank’s mission: transforming children’s lives through book ownership.
“I believe in Bernie’s mission and want to continue to support it in whatever way I can,” she shared. “And If I create future volunteers for Bernie’s in the process—even better!”
For those interested in hosting their own book drive, Kristin offers simple advice: promote it early and often, tie it to an existing school or community event, give families time to participate, clearly communicate what books are accepted, and build a strong support team.
“Even if they’re 11 years old,” she added.
Thanks to Kristin Anson’s leadership, passion, and commitment, thousands of books and possibilities have been placed into the hands of children who need them most.
