Popular Vancouver radio station CFOX and its morning Jeff O’Neil show presented a local librarian a cheque for new books on Monday.
Teacher-librarian (Ms.) Katie Caines accepted $993 from the station, in partnership with B.C. Ram Trucks dealers.
“It will be used to purchase books for our students as our book budget is incredibly small,” Caines said.
After working at the school for five years, Caines admitted she usually runs out of money by November, a few months into the school year.
CFOX (99.3 FM) first acknowledged the needs of Aldergrove Community Secondary School’s (ACSS) library in early August – as part of their RAMdom Acts of Kindness initiative which supports local schools and charities in need of a little extra help.
It was after several co-workers, friends and eventually her mother nominated the school’s library that Caines finally got the call that they had won.
“With over 650 full-time enrolled students of various reading levels from beginning English to advanced, our library needs to support them and make literacy accessible to all our students,” an ACSS spokesperson explained on Facebook.
Aldergrove’s high school has the lowest budget in the Langley School District among other elementary, middle, and secondary school libraries, Caines found out after comparing with other librarians.
She will be able to purchase new books for the upcoming school year, ones she usually buys with $500 from her own pocket.
Caines also manages an ACSS Amazon wish list, where people can purchase books requested by students for the library.
In recent months, the hashtag #clearthelist has trended on various social media networks, encouraging strangers to help teachers by purchasing essential school supplies like books not budgeted for by their school or school district.
Each book purchased from the online registry will be shipped directly to the library and immediately benefit the students.
The list includes well-known book series, graphic novels and other popular reads.
So far, the school has received a handful of books and a few Amazon gift cards from anonymous donors, Caines elaborated.
“Any little bit helps!” Caines said.
