Self-proclaimed "Smart Bitches Who Love Trashy Novels" are taking a stand, one year after Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Although people have been sending donation books to the area all year long, the local school libraries are still woefully in need:

[A]n article in the Chronicle of Philanthropy caught my attention. School libraries in the Gulf region are seriously hurting, because they are a “lower priority among philanthropists than public libraries,� though school libraries are struggling to rebuild their collections as well. Further, school libraries are funded through individual school boards, which are also pressed with the absorption of new students from other communities, and the rebuilding of their own physical buildings. Another problem is that most of the donated books are often inappropriate reading for school children and are usually leisure reading materials for grown ups.

Rather than grouse about it, they're ready to take action if we are:

So on the first anniversary of Katrina, we’re issuing the Smart Bitch Reading Challenge: we will match all your donations up to $250.00 US.

You can pick your charity; far be it from us to tell you what to do. Simply send money to a charity of your choice focusing on rebuilding school libraries, local children’s reading programs, or children’s literacy in the Gulf Region. Then all you have to do is email a copy of the receipt (feel free to edit out all your personal information if you don’t want us to have it). We Smart Bitches will match the total amount given by all the Bitchery donors and give that lump sum to UNICEF’s fund to rebuild children’s libraries and educational sites for the US Gulf Region. The deadline for donation submissions is September 30, 2006.

You have one month to make a difference in a child's life, and double the impact. Go!

Mir

[image courtesy of Scituate Town Library]

BlogHer Contributing Editor Mir also blogs at Woulda Coulda Shoulda and Want Not.