Book Em

Imagine a home without books. For thousands of young people in Davidson County, TN, that's the case. With help from our community, Book'em makes kids and teens proud owners of books they want to read and introduces preschool and elementary children to amazing reading role models, who inspire them to develop strong literacy skills. The ability to read is the foundation for success and Book'em meets a vital gap in the lives of kids to build that foundation. 

Book'em is a non-profit organization that brings free books and reading volunteers to kids in Nashville, TN. Our mission is to create a more literate Nashville and ignite children's passion for reading through book ownership and enthusiastic volunteers. We serve disadvantaged youth ages 0-18 through three main programs: Books For Nashville's Kids, Reading is Fundamental (RIF), and Ready For Reading. We are the largest not-for-profit provider of free books for children of all ages in Nashville and we are rapidly growing to meet the increasing need.

In 2020, Book’em distributed more than 130,000 books to 160+ community partners in Davidson County and provided 150 reading role models in sixteen Title I elementary schools - yes during a pandemic! We were closed for one day while we got permission to operate. 

The pandemic highlighted the immense need for books in children's homes as school and public libraries were closed or difficult to access. It also reinforced that Book'em must expand our operations to meet the demand. We have outgrown our physical space and require additional personnel. Now we're on a quest to raise funds so we can provide more amazing stories and reading role models for kids in Nashville for years to come. 

Every donation from $10 to thousands makes a difference and gets us closer to our goal of expanding. 

Please make a personal donation and share this page with your colleagues, family, and friends. 

We believe in a future where all children in Nashville own books and know first-hand the joy and value of reading. Will you help us turn this dream into a reality?

Please visit our website and check out our Facebook page to learn more about how we are bringing the magic of books to Nashville's kids!