So far 28 schools and libraries, plus a handful of other organizations, have received the S&S titles. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt committed to donate 70,000 books through First Book, and Simon & Schuster offered to send any damaged school or library 500 popular titles and multiple copies of 20 new releases. Random House (distributing through First Book, a nonprofit that provides books to children from low-income families) and Scholastic (distributing through Kids in Distressed Situations, a New York–based nonprofit that helps in-need families) are each donating a million books to schools and libraries in the hardest-hit areas.
Bibliophiles and publishing professionals stepped in to aid in the ongoing relief efforts. Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on libraries, schools, and bookstores throughout New York, New Jersey, Ohio, and Connecticut, and it hurt business at many more. “We don’t want to give those books out to kids.” In his 41 years with the Monmouth County libraries, he says, “this is the first time we’ve ever closed for more than a day for an act of God.” “At some level, the assumption is that all books, even if they’re not wet, are contaminated,” says Ken Sheinbaum, director of the 13-branch Monmouth County Library system, which includes Oceanport. “We lost the whole collection.” Because of mold and sewage, even not-so-soggy titles had to go-which meant the library lost 18,000 items worth $380,000. “We were left with books in the middle of the floor,” says librarian Kate Hardy. On Monday, October 29, as Hurricane Sandy battered the East Coast, New Jersey’s swollen Shrewsbury River sent two feet of water into the Oceanport Public Library.
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