Bookmarks
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Mission Statement
Bookmarks is a literary arts organization that cultivates community by bringing people of all ages together with books and authors who educate, inspire, challenge, and entertain.
About This Cause
Bookmarks is a literary arts nonprofit that cultivates community by bringing people of all ages together with books and authors who educate, inspire, challenge, and entertain. Bookmarks began as a book festival and project of the Junior League and our roots run deep with women in our community. We have been solely women-led since our founding in 2006 as a 501(c)3 organization. Our current Executive Director and board chair are women. Bookmarks as a nonprofit has many programs under its umbrella. One significant portion is our bookstore, which is one of the only nonprofit model independent bookstores in the country. Our shelves reflect our belief that reading is for everyone and that everyone should be able to see themselves reflected in books. Bookstore sales help support the more than 150 free events we host each year, including storytimes, book clubs, author talks, writing workshops, poetry readings, book launches, meet and greets, and more that help to cultivate community and introduce people to new books, authors, and ideas. Book with Purpose is a summer initiative focused on growing our understanding of the harmful systems that create inequality in our society. Through book donations and thoughtful programs, we create safe space for learning and dialogue across the community. This is an intergenerational program that has covered themes of antiracism, mental health, immigration, and voting rights. Bookmarks provides author and illustrator visits for, and at no cost to, area schools. We work to provide as many donations of books to students during these visits. Tens of thousands of students are impacted each year. We love getting books into the hands of kids, but it is even better when kids get to pick the books themselves! Field trips provide an opportunity for children to feel like they belong at a bookstore. We have fun activities, snacks, and help each child select three books to take home. We support the school by covering the costs of transportation and giving the library $500 in book credit to help build their collection. Almost 500 students were impacted by field trips in 2024, including one Spanish-language field trip and one field trip with our local foster care provider. Bookmarks plans and hosts the largest annual book festival in the Carolinas, held on the last full weekend of September in downtown Winston-Salem. More than 20,000 attendees come from more than 22 states to hear the world-renowned and bestselling authors who are featured. There are keynote events, panel discussions, workshops, book signings, food trucks, vendors, activities, and more for all ages at no cost to attendees. A few times a year, Bookmarks is able to bring the biggest and most influential voices of today to Winston-Salem for conversations that educate, inspire, challenge, and entertain. Past authors have included: Stacey Abrams, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi with Nic Stone, Anne Lamott, Erik Larson, Chris Paul, Henry Winkler, and more. Bookmarks has a front row seat to the magic that happens when we have community partners who come alongside us, combining their resources with ours to deepen the impact of increasing access to books and cultivating community. In addition to the work we do with schools, we provide sales support and leverage our expertise and relationships to bring speakers to town for community groups. We donate tens of thousands of books to little free libraries, public libraries, community groups, and schools annually. Bookmarks is a community resource for books and authors, and we work with dozens of nonprofits and other groups each year to build the love of reading.