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...
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...
New Book Drop Locations – Wintrust Partnerships
Attention all! Our amazing friends at Wintrust have partnered with us to become book drop partners! All Illinois Wintrust Bank locations can now accept book donations for us.This increase in our book drop locations will open up more opportunities for Bernie's Book...
Happy Birthday, Bernie!
Today we are thinking of our organization's namesake and inspiration for providing books for a better life, Dr. Bernard P. Floriani, on what would have been his 70th birthday. We celebrate his legacy through each book distribution, with love and the utmost admiration....
Norton Juster’s Birthday! June 2, 2017
Today is Norton Juster’s 88th birthday! His first, and arguably most famous book, “The Phantom Tollbooth” was published in 1961.“The Phantom Tollbooth” won the George C. Stone Center for Children's Books Award and continues to be treasured by children and adults alike...
Saint Anne Students Donate 2,000 Books
The Following is from the Saint Anne Parish School website. Our Student Leadership Commission (SLC), under the leadership of Joseph Laterza, recently hosted a book drive. The books were collected for an organization called Bernie’s Book Bank. For more information,...
3rd Graders Donate 7,000 Books!
3rd Graders Help Donate 7,000 Books to Bernie’s Book Bank This following article is from the Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago. Find the original article here. Congratulations to our 3rd grade for a very successful mitzvah project! For the third...
Spring Clean Your Bookshelves Today!
Are your children growing up? Do you have children's books that your family never reads anymore? Spring is the perfect time to dust off those bookshelves and donate your new or gently-used children's books! Visit this page to find out more about where to drop off your...
Local Youth Raise 18,155 Books
The following is an e-news article from Park Forest. Rugby Illinois challenged youth athletes to make a difference in their local community and give back to those in need. Local rugby clubs across the Chicagoland area and state will came together, collecting books to...
March Newsletter 2017
Friends, Bernie's Book Bank is fortunate to have so many incredible partners. This month we are excited to share three special offers for Bernie's Book Bank supporters. Enjoy a discount at an upcoming Chicago Wolves game and a discount to this month's Chicago Flower &...
Goddard School Partners with Bernie’s Book Bank
From December 1 through January 23, 2017, The Goddard School preschools located in the greater Chicago area kicked off their 4th annual charity book drive with the goal of collecting over 25,000 books for Bernie’s Book Bank – the largest provider of quality books to...
M. Holland Volunteers
M. Holland Community – the charitable and volunteer arm of M. Holland Company – kicked off 2017 with a donation of time and books to Bernie’s Book Bank in Lake Bluff, Illinois. Approximately 20 M. Holland employees, along with members of their families, split their...
# MeetMonday – Annie Ignoffo
Annie Ignoffo, of Lake Forest, regularly volunteers at Bernie's Book Bank, 917 North Shore Drive, Lake Bluff. The book bank collects and distributes new and gently used children's books throughout the Chicago area. January is their volunteer appreciation month. For...
7 Million Books and Counting: One Man’s Fight for Literacy Among City’s At-Risk Kids
It's a Tuesday morning at Rowe Elementary, a charter school on the city's North Side, and in Ms. Voigts' third-grade class, the students are wide-eyed, clinging to the edges of their desks to still themselves. Each kid steps to the front and gets a shiny white plastic...
Bernie’s Book Bank on WGN News!
Check out this link to view Bernie’s Book Bank’s appearance on the 9 o’clock news!
Brian Floriani, Founder of Bernie’s Book Bank Helps Chicago Kids Find Love for Reading
Visit this link to see Windy City Live’s full coverage of Bernie’s Book Bank!
Students Receive Over 1200 Books from Bernie’s Book Bank
Bernie’s Book Bank delivered over 1200 gently used and new books to District 81 schools on May 11, 2016. Bernie’s Book Bank is a non-for-profit organization that facilitates the collection, processing and redistribution of new and gently used children’s books to...
Press inquiries
If you’d like to learn more about Bernie’s Book Bank, please email or call 847.780.7323
