Each year, members and friends of Oregon Women Lawyers collect books that are in good to excellent condition to donate to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. The result is that over the past decade, thousands of books have been provided to the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility and to other correctional facilities within Oregon, making a positive difference for those incarcerated. This year’s book drive is continuing through March 17, with collection facilities statewide.
To make the book drive a success (and to make the work of the volunteers easier), here is some VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION to keep in mind about book donations:
Format: Both hard and soft cover books are acceptable. Books on CD are also acceptable (and greatly appreciated), but please do not donate books on tape because the cassette cases can be used to hide contraband. No magazines and no music CDs please.
Content: Any form of fiction is acceptable. Mysteries, romance, and science fiction/fantasy are the most popular. The women at Coffee Creek have a wide range of reading abilities—some are barely literate, others are college-educated—as well as tastes in literature. If you read a book and liked it, chances are that someone at Coffee Creek will too. Books written for young adults are particularly needed, because the reading level of those books is a bit lower, but the content is mature enough to hold a woman’s interest.
Nonfiction is also acceptable, but a few more rules apply: NO true crime books or books on gambling. No law books (the facility has a budget for those and will not take donated ones) or textbooks of any kind.
Children’s books are also welcome—many of the women have children who visit them, and reading together is a great bonding experience. But please, NO coloring or activity books that have already been used or played with.
Another note: There is an enormous need for books in Spanish, Russian, and other languages.
Condition: Books must be in good to excellent condition. No books with torn covers. No books that have been written in. No books that are water damaged or have broken spines. The Coffee Creek library is a circulating library in a place that has some fairly rough conditions sometimes; so a book that is in only fair shape to begin with just won’t last very long. So here is the basic rule:
Is the book in good enough condition that you would not be embarrassed to give it as a gift to someone? Because that is what we are doing – we are giving these women a wonderful gift. Our donations should reflect that.
All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law.
For questions about the book drive, contact the co-coordinator, Gail McEwen.
In addition to the sites below, collection sites are located in law firms and homes in Ashland, Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Salem and in Northeast, Southeast and Southwest Portland. For specific information about those collection sites, contact Diane Rynerson. Public collection locations are as follows:
Eugene
Elkins Zipse & Mitchell
450 Country Club Road, Ste. 250
Eugene
Collection will be during business hours.
Hillsboro
Washington County Law Library, Information Desk
Juvenile Services Building, 2nd floor (Lincoln St. entrance, NOT the First St. entrance)
111 NE Lincoln St
Hillsboro
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 pm
Oregon City
Clackamas County Law Library
821 Main Street, Room 101
Oregon City
Book donations can be left at the front desk, dropped into the book return slot, given to any staff member or placed in the donations box immediately inside the front door during regular Law Library hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm).
Portland
Wyse Kadish LLP
621 SW Morrison Ste 1300
Portland
Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm
Salem
Gatti, Gatti, Maier
Sayer, Thayer, Smith and Associates
1781 Liberty Street SE
Salem
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8:00 to 5:00 pm, Fridays 8:00 to 4:00 pm
Columbia River Gorge/Eastern Oregon
Wasco County Courthouse
511 Washington St.
The Dalles
During business hours, collection box will be on the 3rd floor, near the clerk’s office.
Hood River County Courthouse
309 State St.
Hood River
During business hours, collection box will be on the 3rd floor, near the clerk’s office.
Gilliam County Courthouse
221 S Oregon St.
Condon
During business hours, collection box will be near the court clerk’s office.
Wheeler County Courthouse
701 Adams St.
Fossil
During business hours, collection box will be near the court clerk’s office.
Sherman County Courthouse
500 Court St.
Moro
During business hours, collection box will be near the court clerk’s office.
