News & Media
Check out the latest news from Bernie's Book Bank!
Golden Apple Scholars Volunteer at Bernie’s Book Bank
Think there are a lot of people in this photo? Now picture double the number of eager teachers! Earlier this summer, Bernie’s Book Bank hosted more than 200 volunteers from the Golden Apple Foundation, making it one of the largest volunteers sessions in...
Bernie’s Book Bank breaks Guinness World Record
History has been made! Bernie’s Book Bank and International Keynote Speaker, Ryan Avery, broke the Guinness World Record for the largest book pyramid on Friday, July 27, 2018. The colorful structure towers over the processing center at Bernie’s Book Bank...
Bernie’s Book Bank to attempt world record for largest book pyramid
Bernie’s Book Bank and International Keynote Speaker, Ryan Avery, are teaming up to attempt a new Guinness World Record for the largest book pyramid on July 27, 2018 at Bernie’s Book Bank in Lake Bluff, Ill. The current world record for the largest book pyramid stands...
2018 AbbVie Week of Possibilities
This year, AbbVie hosted it’s fifth annual “Week of Possibilities” global volunteering program, June 18-22. For the third year, AbbVie has selected Bernie’s Book Bank as one of their nonprofit volunteer partners in Lake County, Illinois. AbbVie volunteers...
The story grows on: 2019 Chicago Flower & Garden Show partnership
We’re proud to announce that Bernie’s Book Bank has been selected as the charitable partner for the 2019 Chicago Flower & Garden Show. The 2019 show titled, “FLOWERTALES: The Story Grows On” is a continuation of the 2018 show, “FLOWERTALES: Every Garden...
Bernie’s Book Bank partners with Ravinia Festival
Bernie's Book Bank is partnering with Ravinia, North America's oldest music festival, to collect children's books for the 300,000 at-risk children we serve. During all Kids Concerts this summer, bring your gently used children's books to the Bernie's Book...
Summer 2018 Book Distributions
Bernie’s Book Bank sources, processes, and distributes quality children’s books to at-risk Chicagoland children. Each child receives 12 books throughout the school year, but our mission does not stop when the school year ends. Bernie’s Book Bank works...
2018 Appreciation Night
Yesterday evening, we welcomed Bernie’s Book Bank supporters to be our guests for an evening of appreciation. Donors, sponsors, board members, associate board members and 50 Hour Club members gathered for sweet treats and Terlato Wine in celebration of...
Bernie’s Book Bank receives 2018 McGuffin Grant
We’re proud to announce that Bernie’s Book Bank has been awarded the 2018 McGuffin Grant! Each year, McGuffin Creative Group, Inc. selects one nonprofit organization to receive $25,000 in creative services. The grant is an opportunity to partner with the...
Bernie’s Book Bank Names New CEO
To support the ongoing growth of Bernie’s Book Bank, the organization today announced it has appointed Darrin Utynek as Chief Executive Officer, a new role to the organization. Founder Brian Floriani will transition to Founder and Chief Advancement...
2018 Book Lovers’ Events
On Friday, May 4, more than 600 guests gathered for the inaugural Book Lovers’ Breakfast and 7th Annual Book Lovers’ Lunch at Bernie’s Book Bank. This was the largest and most successful Book Lovers’ benefit in history! The event kicked off with...
Books in bloom at 2018 Chicago Flower & Garden Show
The 2018 Chicago Flower & Garden Show titled "FlowerTales: Every Garden Has A Story To Tell" brought the adventure of books to life with an array of creative gardens at Navy Pier. The theme of this year’s show coincided perfectly with us as the proud...
2018 Volunteer-A-Thon
Volunteers showed up in full force for the 2nd Annual Volunteer-A-Thon on February 16 and 17. For 12 hours volunteers of all ages and abilities filled the processing center working diligently to sort, sticker and pack books for the children we serve....
2017 Book Lovers’ City Lunch
The 3rd Annual Book Lovers’ City Lunch brought together bookworms from all across Chicago on Tuesday, November 7 in support of Bernie’s Book Bank. Bernie's Book Bank was humbled to host Henderson School Assistant Principal Tawanda Miller who shared the...
10 Million Books
The Bernie's Book Bank team is inspired, grateful and excited to announce the distribution of our 10 MILLIONTH BOOK since 2009. Achieving this milestone was possible due to the generosity of supporters like you! Volunteers, book donors, investors, event...
2017 Birdies & Books
Golfers teed off on Monday, August 28 for the annual Birdies & Books Charity Golf Classic to benefit the at-risk children served by Bernie’s Book Bank. Bernie Jr. and Brian shared "right now means everything" and encouraged everyone to live in the moment...
Five Facts About the Literacy Crisis
Literacy is quite possibly one of the most important skills someone can have. If you couldn't read, you wouldn't be able to write texts and emails, read instructions, or navigate the internet! Keep reading for 5 facts about the literacy crisis. 1. Reading is...
New Trier Township Collects 3,350 Children’s Books
New Trier Township embarked upon a new program this summer, forging a partnership with Lake Bluff based Bernie's Book Bank, a non-profit that collects gently used and new children's books and redistributes them to at- risk kids across Illinois. "We saw this as an...
#MeetMonday – William Blair
It's #MeetMonday. This week, we'd like to introduce you to our friends at William Blair. Bernie's Book Bank Community Days, happening all summer long at multiple Chicagoland locations, are made possible due to the generosity of William Blair. We at Bernie's Book...
Book Lovers Help Flooded School
Another flood has hit Round Lake School District after the devastating rainfall earlier this month. This time, however, it’s a flood of donations – specifically, books. Two Round Lake schools, W.J. Murphy Elementary and Raymond Ellis Elementary, suffered significant...
Battle of the Books: Legal Edition!
The 2017 Battle of the Books: Legal Edition Deadlines: Registration ends: August 11th Materials from Bernie's Book Bank will be delivered by: August 31st Book Drive begins: September 1st Book Drive ends: September 30th Winner Announced: October 15th Can your firm beat...
Chicago Organizations Feed, Educate Chicago Students
During the school year many students depend on free or low-cost breakfast and lunch. Unfortunately, many of those children go hungry during the summer. So the great Chicago Food Depository is helping to bridge the gap. They are also partnering with Bernie's Book Bank...
Frequently Asked Questions #2
Who can volunteer at Bernie's Book Bank? Everyone! We welcome volunteers of all ages and abilities. Bring your family, friends, neighbors and co-workers to volunteer and experience how good helping others feels. To find out more about when you can volunteer at...
First Annual Volunteer-A-Thon 2017
Thank you to everyone who chose to be a part of our first Annual Volunteer-A-Thon! We had 12 hours to sort, sticker, and pack 12 quality books for the hundreds of thousands of children we serve annually for 12 years. Our volunteers enjoyed family, food, and fun over...
Bernie’s Book Bank Helping to Replace Flood-Destroyed Libraries
Rep. Yingling initiates effort to replace flood-destroyed books at Round Lake Park school State Rep. Sam Yingling announced plans to initiate a book drive next week to help replace materials destroyed by flooding at W. J. Murphy Elementary School in Round Lake Park....
#MeetMonday – James
Meet awesome 6 year old James. He previously volunteered at Bernie's Book Bank with his school & upon his arrival home, he told his mother that he wanted to have his birthday party at our facility. The big day was July 12th and today he hosted his friends here for...
5 Reading Tips
Often, our lives get busy. Really busy. So busy, that we forget to spend time doing what we love. For all of us at Bernie's Book Bank, we love to read! If you have ever felt like you've gotten too busy to take some time to read or you are getting frustrated with...
Frequently Asked Questions #1
Who is Bernie? Bernie’s Book Bank is named for Dr. Bernard P. Floriani. Bernie was a self-made man – the son of a coal miner who grew up in a house without running water until he went to college on a basketball scholarship. He may not have had much, but he did have...
#MeetMonday – Brian Floriani
For this week's #MeetMonday.... Meet Brian, the founder of Bernie's Book Bank! In 2005, Brian Floriani was a lead instructor for Golf Digest Schools in Lake Tahoe and West Palm Beach. The sudden death of his father, Bernie, inspired him to do something different with...
AbbVie Volunteers During Week of Possibilities
Every year, AbbVie chooses Bernie's Book Bank as one of the organizations they volunteer at. We are thrilled to have AbbVie volunteers here, especially when they aim to sort half a MILLION books! The AbbVie volunteers help us relentlessly push forward to iradicate...
Bernie’s Book Bank on WGN Radio
http://wgnradio.com/2017/07/02/saturday-night-special-7-1-17-organizations-helping-children/ No matter how you feel about school lunches, free breakfast programs, gun violence, poverty, sexism, racism, we can all agree that every single child deserves and has a right...
Book Lovers’ Lunch 2017
Thank you very much to everyone who attended the 6th Annual Book Lovers’ Lunch at Bernie’s Book Bank on May 12, 2017. With 425+ guests, it was our largest Book Lovers’ Lunch to date! As the leading provider of quality books to at-risk children throughout Chicagoland,...
UN Public Service Day
UN Public Service Day: Since 2003, the UN has recognized June 23 as a day to remember, acknowledge, and support those who participate in public service at all levels. At Bernie’s Book Bank, we appreciate all those who work in the public service sector, especially our...
Press inquiries
If you’d like to learn more about Bernie’s Book Bank, please email or call 847.780.7323
