More than 95,000 books redistributed during annual event

People peruse the books at the Pilcher Park Nature Center. Because of the pandemic, participants wore masks and socially distanced. Books were also found in a tent, along a path and on the Nature Center’s back porch. (Photos courtesy of Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant’s office)

Will County Resource Recovery and Energy book collection/give-away

at Pilcher Park had new look

More than 95,000 books changed hands at the annual Book Reuse/Recycling Event sponsored by the Will County Land Use Department’s Resource Recovery and Energy Division the first weekend in June.

Tim Anderson, who coordinated the event for RRE, said this year’s event had a different look, with books on the Pilcher Park Nature Center back porch, under a tent in the backyard, and along a path, in addition to the Nature Center itself.

Anderson said schools and libraries donated 1,031 boxes of books with an average of 75 books per box, or an estimated 77,325 books.

Residents contributed an estimated 50,000, bringing the total books available free for the taking to 127,325.

In comparison, the 2019 event brought in 75,000 books, he said. “We expected a lot of books since last year’s event was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

At the weekend’s end, 31,000 books were left to be recycled, meaning an estimated 96,425 book were taken by attendees. The 31,000 number seems like a lot, but with the large number of books that came in, Anderson said he is “very happy with the outcome.”

Next year’s free event is scheduled for June 3-5, 2022.