Books for Educators: A Back-to-School Celebration

At Madison Reading Project, we believe that every child deserves to see themselves in the pages of a book, and that every educator deserves the resources to make that possible. Our Books for Educators program is designed to provide free, high-quality, and diverse books to teachers across Dane County, helping them build classroom libraries that inspire, affirm, and ignite a love of reading.

Classroom Kickstart: 22,644 Books Shared

In August, 748 educators joined us at the Book Center for Classroom Kickstart, our back-to-school shopping event. Over the course of just four days, we welcomed educators with goody bags and raffle prizes and distributed a record-breaking 22,644 brand-new books. Classroom Kickstart is about more than just distributing books. It’s about giving teachers the tools to create inclusive spaces where every child feels seen, valued, and excited to read. By helping educators start the school year with full shelves, we’re also helping students walk into classrooms filled with possibility.

Clear the BOOK List: Every List Cleared

This year also marked an exciting milestone for our program: joining the national #ClearTheList movement with an MRP twist. For the first time, we invited our community to directly support local teachers by nominating 10 extraordinary educators and purchasing items from their classroom book wish lists. One by one, the lists of selected educators were filled, and before long, every single one was cleared - a total of 258 books! That means local teachers like Megan, Jaya, Donovan, Kristen, Andy, and many more received the exact titles they knew would make a difference for their students. The success of #CleartheBOOKList showed us, once again, the incredible power of community. 

Gratitude to Our Supporters

We couldn’t have done this without our dedicated sponsors, volunteers, donors, and our local media stations. Whether you gave your time, resources, or energy, you helped ensure that Dane County students will have access to books that reflect their lives and expand their worlds. 

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate these milestones, we know our work isn’t finished. There are still shelves to fill, stories to share, and classrooms waiting for the spark that only books can bring.

Together, we’re building stronger classroom libraries and brighter futures for the students who will grow up surrounded by them.