World Book Day 2016

Following the success of the 2015 World Book Day (WBD) event the SA Booksellers Association continued to spread the power of reading in celebration of World Book Day 2016.

SA Booksellers Association members Exclusive Books, Bargain Books, Wordsworth and Books & Books stores around the country for the second year running had the WBD childrens’ books available in store for only R25 from the 15th to 30th of April. Customers were encouraged to buy these books and donate them by putting them in the donation bins in store.

The books collected this year will be donated to Nal’ibali at a handover function later in the year. The initiative was once again in line with the £1 Book Token event hosted in the UK and Ireland where a £1 book token may be swapped for one of the official WBD books.

As a CSI Initiative, Exclusive Books and the SA Booksellers Association also gave 100 book tokens to children to exchange for one of the WBD books at Exclusive Books stores. It gave children the opportunity to experience the feeling of going into a bookstore and choosing and buying their very own book.

On the 23rd of April (official WBD), Nal’ibali visited Exclusive Books stores in Clearwater, Rosebank, Warmer Park and Canal Walk to spread the magic of books. They reached 85 children aged between 5 and 15 years.

“Nal’ibali is delighted to have partnered with the SA Booksellers Association and their members in the 2016 World Book Day drive. We are committed to getting a book into the hands of as many children as possible, and will continue to work with partners like the SA Booksellers Association to spread a love for books and get children reading for enjoyment. We are sincerely grateful to the public for their support in buying the WBD titles that will be donated to Nal’ibali to distribute to under-resourced communities across the country.”

The South African Book Development Council donated 1 700 books that were raised during last year’s National Book Week #BUYABOOK campaign to Project Literacy on the 20th of April in Pretoria as part of their WBD initiative. The SA Booksellers Association applauds all efforts to get books for reading into the hands of those that need them.

At the time of going to print, the donated books were still being collected. We will post the final numbers on our website as soon as they become available.