COLLABORATIONS
Free Book Day
A community-powered celebration of literacy, access, and connection.
Free Book Day is a collaborative initiative of Herringbone Bookstore and Ignite Empowerment Foundation, made possible by local businesses, organizations, volunteers, donors, educators, and community partners.
What is Free Book Day?
Free Book Day is Herringbone Bookstore's annual community celebration of literacy, access, and the joy of reading. Each September, thousands of used books—collected throughout the year from local families, estate sales, garage sales, schools, businesses, and community partners—are sorted and given away completely free to the Central Oregon community.
The goal is simple: keep books out of the landfill and put them into the hands of anyone who wants them—no cost, no barriers, no limits.
But Free Book Day has grown into something much bigger than a book giveaway.
It is a year-round, community-powered initiative that brings together volunteers, local youth, businesses, nonprofits, educators, donors, and families to rescue books, strengthen literacy, and create meaningful opportunities for people to work alongside one another. Together, we collect, transport, sort, organize, and prepare thousands of books that become a shared community resource.
It is a year-round, community-powered initiative that brings together volunteers, local youth, businesses, nonprofits, educators, donors, and families to rescue books, strengthen literacy, and create meaningful opportunities for people to work alongside one another. Together, we collect, transport, sort, organize, and prepare thousands of books that become a shared community resource.
More Than Books
Every box of books tells two stories.
The first is about keeping valuable books in circulation instead of sending them to the landfill.
The second is about the people who make that possible.
Throughout the year, volunteers work side-by-side sorting books, organizing inventory, helping with pickups, planning the event, and welcoming attendees. Conversations happen while unpacking boxes. Friendships are built over shared work. New volunteers become long-term community members. What starts as donating a few books often becomes an ongoing connection to something bigger than ourselves.
Investing in Youth
Free Book Day also creates opportunities for young people to become active community leaders.
Through our Youth Stipend Program, local youth help with book pickups, sorting, outreach, and event preparation while gaining hands-on experience in teamwork, leadership, and community service. They work alongside experienced volunteers, business owners, educators, and nonprofit partners, building relationships across generations while learning how collective action can create lasting impact.
Built By the Community
Free Book Day belongs to the community that makes it possible.
Whether you donate books, volunteer your time, support storage costs, help spread the word, or simply attend the event and take home books, you're helping create a stronger, more connected Central Oregon where everyone has something valuable to contribute and something meaningful to receive.
Ways You Can Support
Volunteer — Sign up HERE
Donate — Help cover year-round storage, transportation, supplies, and program expenses. Click HERE
Free Book Day is a collaborative initiative between Herringbone Bookstore and Ignite Empowerment Foundation (IEF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law and directly support the year-round work that makes Free Book Day possible.
See Free Book Day in the PRESS!
Central Oregon Daily News: Redmond book giveaway draws huge crowd, saves thousands of books from landfills
Redmond Spokesman: Bring your wheelbarrow: 20,000 books to be given away Saturday in Redmond
Central Oregon Daily News: Redmond bookstore giving away 20,000 free books Saturday
KTVZ21: Redmond bookstore plans free-book giveaway
THANK YOU to High Desert Music Hall for hosting this event at your amazing venue!