James Patterson's $1.75M gift saved 467 school libraries
Author James Patterson donated $1.75 million to support 467 school libraries across the United States in 2015. The initiative, run in partnership with Scholastic, provided grants for books and resources after an overwhelming number of applications from schools.
Why it matters
It highlights the critical role of private philanthropy in addressing resource gaps within the public education system.
A flood of requests from schools revealed how badly many libraries needed support, prompting bestselling author James Patterson to increase a donation he had originally planned at $1.25 million. In March 2015, Patterson announced the pledge in partnership with Scholastic Reading Club to help US school libraries buy books and improve their resources. According to the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), the overwhelming response led him to raise the total to $1.75 million, with 467 school libraries eventually receiving grants. The funding could support books, reading programmes, technology and repairs, addressing practical needs that affect how children access reading and learning resources.A pledge to help school librariesPatterson announced the initiative on March 9, 2015, working with Scholastic Reading Club to distribute grants to schools across the United States. The programme was designed to make funding accessible to school libraries, with individual grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
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