Book Drive for Needy School Is a True Success Story

When 17-year-old Mary Albanese decided to organize a book drive for underprivileged children in inner-city schools, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she would end up with a pile of 5,600 volumes. But as soon as Mary told classmates and friends in Simi Valley of her plan, the books started to pour in, from schools, libraries and personal collections. In the hundreds, eventually thousands.

“I’m overwhelmed. I almost started crying, I couldn’t believe it,” said the Royal High School junior of the response.

On Wednesday, with help from officers in the LAPD’s 77th Street station, where her father is a lieutenant, Mary and school friend Zascha Reyes delivered the books to children at the 75th Street Elementary School and the Loren Miller Elementary School in Los Angeles.

In the 75th Street school library--a small room covered with shelves only half-full with books--chatty children watched as box after box full of books was brought in.

Fifth-grader Ivannia Villalta said she was excited and called the donations “a good idea.” Ivannia, who said her favorites are the Harry Potter series, said she was “looking forward to borrowing books” from school soon.

School Principal Chris Stehr was thankful. “I’m glad that people see the needs of our kids and reach out to us,” Stehr said.

Mary said she and her parents decided to organize a book drive after reading a January column by Times’ staff writer Sandy Banks. Banks featured the story of Rebecca Constantino, founder of Access Books, an organization that donates books to school libraries in the inner city.

In a particular passage that struck Mary, Constantino described children in Watts who had never owned a book in their lives. That’s when the Albanese family decided to do something by recruiting their Simi Valley community and the 77th Street officers into the book drive.

“I pitched the idea to my boss,” said Lt. Michael Albanese, Mary’s father. “The whole division embraced the concept and donated [thousands of] books.”

In Simi Valley, Mary and Zascha called elementary schools, bookstores and libraries. They wrote letters to their high school teachers asking them to address students about donating books. They offered prizes--the chance to win a yearbook or a sweatshirt--to anyone who brought in 3 books.

Five elementary schools donated more than 3,500. Officers at the station donated around 1,300. An area bookstore and the family’s church also joined in. And the books are still coming, as some people continue to call.

“I think that God used me in a mighty way, if you let God use you, he will,” Mary said, adding she hopes to be a Christian missionary in the future.

Constantino, who was present when the books were handed over at the 75th Street School, said she was impressed. “I hope this sparks interest in other people to get involved,” she said.

Yet, she said she is still disheartened that so many schools remain without enough books. According to the California Department of Education, the average number of school library books per K-12 student is 11. But some of the schools Constantino helps, including the ones visited by the Albaneses today, barely have an average of a book per student.

“I’m ecstatic about this,” said Jean Mitchell, principal at Loren Miller school. “Our kids don’t have a lot of books at home.”

Soon it may be another school’s turn to receive books. In Boyle Heights, the Fire Department and other community organizations kicked off another book drive. They hope to collect 1,000 books for each of the 14 elementary schools in the Boyle Heights community.