Random Acts of Reading: R.E.A.D. Book Club Commemorates 9/11

By Natascha Gast, Faculty Member, School of Arts, Humanities and Education, and Tonya Babb, R.E.A.D. Book Club President
As a National Day of Service (9/11) venture throughout September 2023, the University’s Reading and Educating at a Distance (R.E.A.D.) Book Club will take part in “Random Acts of Reading.” During this annual occasion, R.E.A.D. Book Club members take part in three completely different actions:
- Acting as “book fairies” and leaving books in random areas with an inspirational notice as a shock for a stranger
- Adding a e book to an area Little Free Library
- Volunteering for LibriVox by recording a e book chapter, brief story or poem
Since 2019, R.E.A.D. Book Club members have been an element of all of these actions.

As half of Random Acts of Reading, R.E.A.D. Book Club members additionally vote to decide on which library, literacy initiatives, or books to help financially via Donors Choose and the Smithsonian Adopt-a-Book packages. In previous years, the membership has funded Okay-12 classroom libraries and the restoration and preservation of books like The Magic Island and Hunting Monsters.
During Random Acts of Reading final yr, the R.E.A.D. Book Club started supporting a member’s Little Free Library. This library is in a “book desert” the place books and different studying materials have been comparatively tough to seek out, particularly for youngsters.

Since 2019, Random Acts of Reading volunteers have supported literacy and distributed books extra broadly to the general public. This effort promotes studying and literacy each on-line and in native faculties and communities all through the world.



You’re Invited to Make an Impact throughout Random Acts of Reading
This yr, Random Acts of Reading is open to everybody for his or her participation. Where can you allow a e book? What may you report for others on-line? How are you able to promote studying in your group?
Not solely will your participation promote studying, you possibly can win books! Share a hyperlink to your LibriVox recording on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, or share a photograph/video in case you depart a e book in a Little Free Library or anyplace else. To discover a Little Free Library within the U.S. or different nations, use Little Free Library’s World Map.
Use the hashtag #APUSReads for an opportunity to win $25 value of books from Better World Books. (All AMU/APU college students, alumni, college, or employees are eligible to win.)
Related: Literature: What’s the Point of Reading and Studying It?
More in regards to the R.E.A.D. Book Club
The objective of the R.E.A.D. Book Club is to offer an open discussion board for the dialogue of literature. The membership brings collectively University college students, alumni, college, and employees and promotes studying and literacy via group outreach and repair initiatives. The membership hosts ongoing e book discussions on Goodreads and Facebook in addition to a stay Zoom e book membership assembly the final Tuesday of every month at 8 p.m. ET.
R.E.A.D. Book Club has been acknowledged with a number of University awards, together with:
- Student Organization Chapter of the Year
- Outstanding Campus Leader (twice)
- Chapter Advisor of the Year
- The Legacy Award for Random Acts of Reading
Are you curious about becoming a member of the R.E.A.D. Book Club and serving to with occasions equivalent to Random Acts of Reading? Submit an application in the present day!
Related: Critical Thinking: How to Develop and Enhance Your Skills
About the Authors
Natascha Gast is a full-time English teacher within the School of Arts, Humanities and Education on the University. She has skilled expertise as a developmental editor of commerce publications and has taught literature, composition and enterprise communication programs since 1998. Natascha at the moment assists within the growth of the enterprise writing and American poetry programs on the University and serves as college advisor for the R.E.A.D. Book Club. She acquired her M.A. in English from the University of Connecticut and a B.A. in English and philosophy from Louisiana State University. In 2022, she received a University award for Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year and Undergraduate Excellence in Teaching.
Tonya Babb is an alumna of American Military University. She acquired an undergraduate diploma in English with a focus in writing in 2018. Tonya has participated within the R.E.A.D. Book Club for the previous 5 years, serving on the officer board for 4 years, and is the present president of the membership. She acquired the 2023 Outstanding Campus Leader award and is proud to have been an element of the membership being awarded the 2023 Outstanding Legacy Project. Tonya at the moment teaches her three kids at dwelling full-time, in addition to a category of seventh graders in her native Classical Conversations group.