Read-a-thon 2026
celebrating reading, building community, advancing equity in literacy
celebrating reading, building community, advancing equity in literacy
Thank you for supporting Lincoln Elementary in our 2026 Read-a-thon! We can accept donations via check or Paypal.
Checks - Mail checks payable to ‘Lincoln School PTA’ to 910 Forest Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202
Online via Paypal - Donate at this Link
$2,500 - Literacy Champion
Helps launch the Read-a-thon strong and sustains Bookery for multiple months
$1,000 - Bookery Benefactor
Supports the Read-a-thon and funds one full month of Bookery books for the entire school
$500 - Reading Advocate
Helps stock Bookery selections across multiple classrooms
This January, Lincoln will launch its first-ever schoolwide Read-a-thon, a 14-day celebration of literacy. Our community will work toward a goal of 125,000 minutes read across 350 students - in classrooms, at home, and alongside peers and teachers.
As part of the Read-a-thon, all students will receive a copy of a book (theirs to keep) that is read across the grade level. Reading and discussing this shared book builds community, allows students to learn from each other, and creates a common touchstone for richer understanding and excitement about the story.
We also encourage students to clock minutes as they read their old favorites and as they explore uncharted literary territory. Special time set aside during the Read-a-thon weeks will provide opportunities for students to read together with peers, and for older students to read to younger. Each minute fosters confidence and helps turn reading into a daily habit.
The Read-a-thon is also our primary fundraiser for Bookery, Lincoln’s beloved monthly literacy program. Through Bookery, each of our 350 students selects a free, high-interest book to take home and keep every month, building personal home libraries and promoting literacy equity. Bookery has become a cornerstone of our school community, providing more than 2,500 books to Lincoln students each year, and was recently featured in the Evanston RoundTable for its impact. Read more about Bookery below!
Bookery is Lincoln's little free bookstore, operated by parent volunteers and the PTA. Students peruse the selection once a month with classmates, selecting one book each visit to take home and keep. Students buzz around the Bookery space, looking for a book that matches a specific interest, searching for the next book in a series they're into, or helping each other find the perfect pick. On Bookery days, students show off their finds in the hallways and pull the books out at dismissal to share with each other and with caregivers.
Lincoln has hosted some version of Bookery since at least 1977. In previous versions, Bookery worked as a book swap, or students brought in a quarter to trade for a book. Now the program is totally free, and each student at Lincoln coming to Bookery once a month for a free book.
This means that Bookery gives out around 2,000 books per year! Bookery restocks through donations as well as by purchasing books. Parent volunteers keep a running list of requests and fills as many as possible, searching thrift stores, used book sales, and online resale shops as well as discount retailers. In order to sustain Bookery for the rest of this year, and for coming years, we hope to raise $8000 during this Read-a-thon fundraising effort.