ReLIT NY is a free reading and recycling program in New York that collects old, unwanted books and distributes them back to the public. ReLIT's mission is to create and foster a love for reading and in order to do so, it believes in making reading simple, hassle-free and convenient.
Books are donated at publicly located drop-boxes around the city and every month ReLIT, with the help of volunteers, goes out on the streets giving away hundreds of these donated books to the commuting public--from children to working professionals to even the homeless.
Since its inception in 2009, ReLIT has handed out almost 10,000 books at various high-traffic locations, partnered with local organizations, developed a volunteer-program and worked with high-school students in coordinating handout activities. The goal for 2012 is to raise funds to implement a well-organized book transportation system so that it can expand its donation and distribution network.

Problem

ReLIT NY addresses key economic and logistical issues faced by many readers (or would-be readers) of the city by bringing free books directly to them. The program does not discriminate and aims to reach out to everyone in its community--people of all ages and backgrounds. At the same time, it collects unwanted books that New Yorkers do not have the space to keep, that many libraries do not accept, that would have otherwise been thrown out and often, not recycled. By circulating them back to the public, ReLIT finds these books new homes and gives them a second-life. The volunteer program ReLIT runs aims to foster an appreciation for the Literary Arts and a sense of community awareness. By working with students from participating high-schools, ReLIT hopes to nurture this awareness from a young age and help students build necessary skills in order to become active and concerned members of their community.

Solution

Not only are the books free, but most importantly, ReLIT brings the books directly to the people. That is the uniqueness of the program and what sets it apart from others.

Example

Every month ReLIT typically distributes anywhere between 300-350 books and reaches over 500 people on the streets. Many of these people, plugged into their ipods and iphones are just on their way home from work, or on their way to meet a friend--they might want to read a book but not enough to stop by a library or consider buying a new book from the store. By showing up along their commute, ReLIT gives them an unexpected yet welcomed way of spending their time on the train or the bus. In this brutal city, where everything else comes at a price, ReLIT hopes to bring a touch of relief and a grateful smile.

Marketplace

There are other programs that believe in the sharing of books and in passing books from hand to hand, but none done through a well-organized network. At a time when libraries are forced to cut budgets, what ReLIT offers, by involving the entire community--those who donate their books and those who volunteer to give them out--is simple and sustainable: a book mobile made possible by the public, for the public.