Books-A-Million Joins Better Basics Reads, Donates $30,000 to Support Literacy for 14,000+ Birmingham-Area Students

Books-A-Million is participating in Better Basics Reads, the largest annual volunteer initiative organized by the education nonprofit Better Basics, aimed at promoting reading among students in the Birmingham metro area. On May 7, 2026, Books-A-Million associates will be among hundreds of community volunteers reading in classrooms across Birmingham City Schools. This event is part of a larger campaign that will reach over 14,000 students in 42 partner schools.

To further support this initiative, Books-A-Million will make a $30,000 donation to Better Basics, which will be used to expand access to books and literacy programming for regional students. The Better Basics Reads program, formerly known as Birmingham Reads, recruits more than 700 volunteer readers each year to engage with Pre-K through fifth-grade students, highlighting the importance of literacy for academic and lifelong success.

Catherine Goudreau, Executive Director of Better Basics, emphasized the significance of providing books to children, stating, "Research tells us that having books in the home is the single greatest predictor of a child's academic success." This year's program has expanded to include participation from multiple school districts, including Birmingham City Schools, Fairfield City Schools, Bessemer City Schools, i3 Academy, Restoration Academy, Tarrant City Schools, and Legacy Prep.

Olivia McDaniel, Vice President of Marketing at Books-A-Million, expressed the company’s commitment to the community, saying, "At Books-A-Million, we believe books have the power to change lives. Participating in Better Basics Reads is a meaningful way for us to give back, connect with local students, and help spark a lifelong love of reading." In addition to volunteer reading efforts, Better Basics Reads will provide book distributions to ensure students have access to reading materials outside the classroom, an essential aspect of developing literacy skills.