san diego libraries need you!

Pamela Ribon, author of the incredibly hilarious Why Girls Are Weird, screenwriter, comedian, blogger extraordinaire, urges you to help out the San Diego County Public Libraries with a book drive. Many libraries have Amazon wishlists, and especially need children's books. Last year she did the same book drive with the Oakland Library system, to tremendous success.

You can also give donations to the San Diego Public Library Foundation. From the The Library Journal:

A proposed FY 05 $37.7 million budget for the San Diego Public Library, tentatively approved City Council, would be $204,642 less than last year, which means the system would close seven library branches on Sundays, cut materials, and reduce hours elsewhere. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the budget for salaries and benefits has increased $2.15 million, so the library will eliminate 20 positions from the budget. One councilman proposed private donations to keep the branches open. The city is trying to balance the budget by cutting $26.9 million in funding for parks, recreation centers, libraries, community centers, police storefronts and a child care program. The council must approve the budget by June 28.

Pamie's entry can be found here. She's holding a contest this year:

And this year I'll throw in a prize. Three donors will receive one signed copy of my book sent to their home. Contest runs until July 25th, one month from today. I'll have stee draw three names at random from every donor to the San Diego County Public Library System through their wishlists. I'll post the three winners names here on pamie.com on July 25th. Good luck!

This is close to home, and the libraries here are dear to me- especially Rancho Bernardo, which has helped me get through this year with plenty of reading and listening material. I'll be taking the time before I leave for Dallas to go through my book collection and see if there isn't anything on a wishlist, or if there is a book dear to me that I feel someone else would benefit from as well. Take the time to read Pam's entry, and think about it- you can get cheap used/new/resale books through Amazon.com for oftentimes under $10.