Carpe Librum: The City's Largest Pop-Up Book Sale
Opening April 8th!
Seize your favorite book at Carpe Librum, Turning the Page’s 12th annual used book sale! Since 2002, Carpe Librum has been D.C.’s largest used book sale event - this year shoppers will discover more than 50,000 books, CDs and DVDs for their home libraries while at the same time saving these items from landfills. Sale proceeds help fund critical programs for D.C. public school children and their families, so come by to check out some good books at great prices for a fantastic cause!
April 8-May 15
1030 17th Street NW
Washington DC, 20006
STORE HOURS:
Mon - Fri: 10:00am - 7:30pm
Sat: 10:00am - 6:00pm
Sun: 11:00am - 5:00pm
During the first week of the sale, doors will open at 8:30am!
We believe that learning doesn’t end at school walls, but rather relies on a community effort. By coming to Carpe Librum, you can become a part of a community that is improving education for all DC children.
Keep up to date on all the latest Carpe Librum news and promotions by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter!
Turning the Page on WUSA9's "Hero Central"
Turning the Page and two inspiring Parent Leaders were featured on WUSA9's "Hero Central" this week! The video features two prominent TTP Parent Leaders, Donna Stewart and Keena Bass, and highlights the work they've done with Turning the Page to create community-based service projects in Ward 8.
Click here to watch the video on WUSA9.
Turning the Page Recognizes the Work of AmeriCorps Members
March 10-18 is AmeriCorps week, a time to celebrate the commitment of AmeriCorps members and alums by highlighting the impact they make in communities across the country. AmeriCorps VISTAs have been a critical part of Turning the Page’s work since 2001
“Our AmeriCorps members have impacted our families and communities in an enormous way!” said Marcus Gray, TTP Director of Program Operations. “Throughout their year of service they not only develop core components of our programs, but build lasting relationships in the communities we serve. Our AmeriCorps members make the depth and breadth of our work possible.”
One of these dedicated AmeriCorps members is Carla Mike, who served as a VISTA for two years and is now a Partnership Manager at TTP.
“Because I was able to serve and build relationships as an AmeriCorps member for two years, this year, I was able to help connect parents across three Ward 8 schools and support them as they took the lead to plan a fun and engaging MLK Day of Service event in January,” said Carla. “The project brought together teachers, staff, students, families, and community organizations in a visit to Knox Hill Senior Residence to show our appreciation and care for our elderly community. I’m thrilled that the three schools joined together and are strengthening the entire community as a whole.”
Being an AmeriCorps member is not always easy. The hours are long and the work can be exhausting, but the experiences members take away make it all worth it.
“I’ve gained a lot of great experience, but I think the most important thing that I’ve learned from being a VISTA is how to establish trust and build relationships in communities where you’re initially seen as an outsider,” said current AmeriCorps member Heidi Nielson. ”It’s been extremely rewarding to build relationships with parents, teachers and students at our partner schools, and I only wish I had more time.”
TTP’s AmeriCorps members have come from many different places across the country and gone on to work in a variety of fields. Some have continued carrying on TTP’s mission, becoming teachers and librarians while others are public policy experts and nonprofit managers. One went on to live in Japan for many years, another just returned from volunteering in Cambodia, but they have all contributed something unique, allowing TTP to positively impact DC school communities.
“Collaboration is key!” said Carla. “There’s so much work that can be done, and there are so many people working for positive change, that it’s incredible how the impact grows when we support one another.”
"We Chose this Day to Serve You": How TTP Families Built New Ties with Local Seniors
On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this year, Turning the Page (TTP) parent leaders in three D.C. public schools designed an ambitious service project to benefit senior citizens in their communities. “We wanted to do a service project in our neighborhood to bring our communities together and our schools ogether,” said Keena Bass, HSA Vice President at King Elementary, “that’s why we picked MLK day – because it’s a day ON, not a day off.”
Throughout December and January, parent leaders and TTP staff collected supplies for the project and recruited families in three school communities. Together, they collected more than 500 items and assembled 55 care packages, containing lotions, bath products, games, books, cold weather accessories, and food items.
On January 16th, over 50 parents, students, teachers, and community members met at Knox Hill Senior Residence to spend the day with seniors. The project’s three parent leaders honored both Dr. Martin Luther King and the seniors. In her speech during the program, recent TTP Parent Award Winner Donna Stewart emphasized the vital importance that seniors play in their community: “You got us to where we are today. If it wasn’t for you guys, there would be no us. So we chose this day to serve you.”
Families spent the afternoon with seniors, playing board games, reading books, and listening to stories. At the end of the afternoon, students presented each senior with a care package. When asked to reflect on the event, former AmeriCorps*VISTA member Elizabeth Lewis highlighted the unity of the community. “I saw three generations of a community coming together for fun, learning, and remembrance,” she said, “It was great to see the older generation, who lived through Martin Luther King's struggle, communicating the experience with the younger generations.”
After the event, TTP Partnership Manager Carla Mike said, “I’m thrilled to work with such a strong group of leaders and can’t wait to see all that’s accomplished as we continue to work together for a common vision.
