READING IS A VIRTUE

Reading is a virtue and, sadly, still very much a privilege in our world. We know we're normally on here going on and on about the piles of books we like to (hoard) keep as makeshift art installations around our bedrooms and the linen-bound coffee table books we use to give our ceramics some height, but we understand a plethora of books can be hard to come by. While we love to support small used booksellers and independent bookstores with a used section (shoutout to a consistently exciting selection at The Strand), even buying secondhand can prove a luxury when reading is something one can seemingly go without.

"IT MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL GESTURE, BUT WE LIKE TO THINK ABOUT HOW MANY DIFFERENT WORLDS WE ARE SHARING THE KEY TO. READING DOESN'T ONLY KEEP YOUR MIND IN PRACTICE; IT'S LITERAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT, KEEPING THE IMAGINATION LIVE AND WELL"

In celebration of the launch of The LES Book Fair and our new book offering today, the LES team has decided to share the wealth. We've each gone through our stacks and selected the books that maybe don't bring us joy anymore, the old classics from high school we keep around to make us look smart, the ones we've never read and will never read, and even the ones we love to donate to a women's and children's shelter here in NYC. 

"MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT ANY SHELTER OR ORGANIZATION BEFORE YOU PLAN TO DROP OFF YOUR DONATION. EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION IS ALWAYS A FOCUS WITHIN THESE ORGANIZATIONS, AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE SPACE FOR YOUR GOODS"

We're committed to making this a yearly practice, and would like to encourage you to do so as well. We're donating to WIN, the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing to homeless families in NYC, and encourage you to contact your local women's shelter to see if they accept donations as well. Other easy shares are old newspapers and magazines - chock-full of scenes and stories ready to be indulged in by a new set of eyes. 

WIN - www.winnyc.org