photo by: Hillari Taylor

Hillari Taylor requested books by authors of color through The Raven Book Store's Book Benefactors project.

“Why do you think these folks could use some good books?”

That’s the question friends and family members must answer to nominate candidates to The Raven Book Store’s Book Benefactors program.

“He’s working the hardest he can and making his bill payments. He doesn’t have extra spending money for fun stuff,” one person shared.

Another nominator said their wife was sad the seniors on her high school softball team would miss their final season.

“Caught her crying today…Books would help brighten her day,” the nominator wrote.

The Book Benefactors project sends surprise book deliveries to those who need it. Danny Caine, owner of The Raven, said he got the idea when author and former Lawrencian Deb Olin Unferth called and asked if she could sponsor a surprise delivery to a family in Lawrence.

“I was really floored by her generosity and I really liked that idea,” he said.

Participants in the Book Benefactor project may go to bookbenefactors.com to either nominate someone to receive a free package of books or donate money in order to sponsor a delivery. Most packages come with three books, so that “odds are” the recipient will fall for at least one, Caine said. The average value of a package is $40 to $50.

The Raven temporarily shut down its store following Gov. Laura Kelly’s stay at home order on March 30, but the Book Benefactors program started back up Tuesday. During the store’s brief shutdown, Caine and other employees of The Raven regrouped and figured out ways to improve safety. The store is closed to customers, but social distancing between employees in the store has been improved and employees are now wearing masks and gloves while unpacking boxes and delivering books to homes in Lawrence.

Book Benefactors was mentioned in a March 17 New York Times article about how independent bookstores are faring amid the coronavirus pandemic. On Tuesday, the project had raised over $5,300. There had been 110 nominations and 70 packages had been sent out to nominees.

Caine shared nominators’ entries with the Journal-World to spread their touching messages, but removed names and identifying details of the nominees.

A lower school librarian worried that two students who “devour” books quickly might be running out of material. A person stuck in quarantine in Italy said they are facing bad anxiety and could use therapeutic reading. Someone worried that their wife might lose her job thought she could use some books — and also mentioned that she’s a wonderful person.

Hillari Taylor, a first grade teacher, said she was “embarrassed” to nominate herself, but that she wanted new books to keep her mind from worrying about her students.

“It feels incredibly selfish to nominate myself, but I moved here 9 months ago and am away from all my family and friends during all of this panic,” Taylor wrote on her nomination form. “My mind can’t stop worrying about the almost 100 kids I’ve taught over the last 7 years, how scared they must be and what kind of care they’re getting. I’d welcome the distraction of some good books if you’re willing.”

In a box on the submission form that asks about the reader’s habits and preferences, Taylor noted that she likes historical fiction and that she would like to read books from authors of color.

She received “Queenie” by Candice Carty-Williams and “Girl, Woman, Other” by Bernardine Evaristo.

Taylor said she was excited about the project — which she has also donated to — because it’s “such a kind thing.”

“I really have been blown away by a lot of the kind things that I have seen around Lawrence,” Taylor said. “It’s really amazing.”

Tracey Casey, who nominated her grandson, called books “lifelines” for people.

“They open up a lot of worlds. They connect us to things,” she said. “(They) let our imagination and creativity open right up.”

photo by: Tracey Casey

Tracey Casey nominated her 6-year-old grandson to receive free books from The Raven Book Store’s Book Benefactors project. She took a photo of the three books when they arrived.

The nomination entries shared with the Journal-World varied in topic, as did nominators’ relationships to their nominees: “My cousin,” “My 88-year-old grandmother,” “My dad,” “My long term boyfriend’s grandmother” — these are examples of how entries started.

One person nominated a single father of four who is facing severe medical challenges. Another said they could use books because they are unemployed and going through a tough time.

“There’s just something about being able to hold the book in your hand and flip the pages and be able to smell that distinct smell a book has,” that nominator wrote.

In all cases, nominators had a person’s well-being on their mind — whether it be for another or themself — and believed a stack of new books might bring calm in this period of fear and unrest.