Donated Books
Sixty thousand books — and counting! During the pandemic, RIF NOVA began collecting new and (very) gently used books from the Northern Virginia community with the goal to provide more books to children who had little to no access to school or public libraries. The program has been so successful that we now share our donated books not only with our existing network of more than 30 schools and sites, but also with local organizations that would like to provide books to the children they serve.
If you would like to DONATE BOOKS, please click this link. If you are a nonprofit organization needing books for the children in your programs, we will try to help. Click here for information about how to REQUEST BOOKS!
Wash and Read
A family of volunteers built a bookshelf (with materials donated by Mill Direct Flooring) for placement at the Casa Laundromat Wash & Fold in Alexandria. As books were being stocked on the new shelf, readers were eagerly looking through the books from our Donated Books program to find a book or books of interest!
Popsicles in the Park
Popsicles in the Park got underway in July 2026 as the World Cup semifinals were being played. That did not stop families from gathering for popsicles supplied by Arlington’s Carlin Springs Elementary and books from RIF NOVA’s Donated Books program! Such a fun mid-July stop for summer readers!
Children’s Summer Reading Festival
A better day could not have been found for the Fairfax Library Foundation’s annual festival of summer reading for children on June 13, 2026. RIF NOVA’s booth was “hot” — with lines of kids and families waiting to choose books from our donated books collection. Just under 1,400 books went flying into children’s hands. Clifford was there to engage the kids, and a special personality from the Washington Nationals stopped by for a quick read! Such an amazing festival of reading and community!
Pancakes at Polk
Such a graduation celebration for rising Polk Elementary kindergartners and their families on June 5, 2026. With a good breakfast prepared and served by teachers, along with artwork displaying what they had learned this year, the entire community came together for the festivities at this Alexandria school. RIF NOVA provided books from our donated books collection so each new graduate could have a book to read for the summer — and the books went like (ahem) hotcakes!
Drew Day
The Drew Dragons were out in force on May 30, 2026 to celebrate — what else — Drew Day! RIF NOVA was there, too, with books from our donated books collection to delight kids and their families — right along with face painting, craft making, and a shaving-cream-in-the-face contest! Such a community festival of fun at Arlington’s Dr. Charles E. Drew Elementary, just in time for summer reading!
