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Portland Books Through Bars

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being a bookseller is one of the very best parts of my life and finding community with john and rafael at @alwaysherebooks has truly felt like a dream come true. they really walk the talk! it’s so rare to find places that earnestly defend disabled & chronically ill folks and never make me feel like an anxious burden 💕

i’m also grateful to work at @wallacebooks and to have found so much joy in this more-books-than-space kind of place, but it was also hilarious to find our kin of a store at escape fiction in salem this weekend (ty forever @literarymadmax for the assist i owe you) 📚

and finally, being on the organizing team with @pdx.books has made me just overwhelmingly happy. when they approached me about joining, i had been feeling like i needed to be involved more with organizations that aligned with my ideologies + engage in advocacy work, but this team of folks are SO big hearted and kind - i am just stunned by them!

thank you to Always Here and Wallace, but also @thirdeyebag and @broadwaybooks for joining our first PDX Books Through Bars drive. charles told me it’s all about “building connections and making community happen” and like ain’t that the real truth 😭

feeling so sappy heart full this weekend 💜

(if you love indie booksellers then you should also put a hold on modern divination for may 6th just saying because i love that book and think isa is just the best)

#indiebookstores #independentbookstoreday #booksellers #booksellersofinstagram #bookstagram #bookstore

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Let’s talk about 🎉 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🎉

Did you know that the last Saturday in April is for celebrating independent bookstores? So much is going on, y’all – so we’re packing it all in one big ol’ mega post!

📍 North Portland Bookstore Bingo! Complete your bingo card by visiting bookstores (no purchase required) for a chance to win a prize bundle!
🎨 Autumn Eve (@autumnevesart) will be here to paint your face onto our windows! This is a free, community-focused art installation that will be in our windows for.. forever? Come be a part of it!
🌸 Visit with local artist and author Rowan Kingsbury (@rowan_sugar), who’ll be joining us for a book signing + forget-me-not planting
🎫 We’re deviously hiding a golden bookmark in our shelves that entitles the finder to a year’s worth of audiobooks from Libro.fm!
👀 We finally have store merch available to purchase?!

.. and if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got some fun stuff going on all week!

📚 Double your contribution to Books Behind Bars (@pdx.books)! From April 21st to May 5th, buy a book off our wishlist to donate to an incarcerated person, and your donation will be matched by some rich folks. Let’s use their money, y’all.
🎧 Libro.fm’s indie bookstore appreciation sale starts today! Huge discounts throughout, and use code BOOKSTOREDAY for up to 30% and 2 free bonus audiobooks for new accounts. Check out the sale in our links.

If you haven’t made it out to visit us since we opened last month, this is a pretty good excuse to make the trip!

📍Where: Saturday April 26th (that’s this weekend!)
⌛When: Always Here Bookstore, and other participating bookstores around town!

‼️As always, events are sober, sensory-friendly, and 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱. Find our full accessibility statement on our site
✅ Testing highly encouraged prior attending! (You can pick up a test from us for free)

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Today begins the Independent Bookstore Drive for @pdx.books!

If you purchase a book from one of four stores and donate it to our drive, the Hull Family Foundation will match the purchase amount as a financial donation that goes back to the organization 📚

Portland Books Through Bars is a 100% volunteer run, donation based 501c3 that gets books and reading materials to people currently in custody.

I joined the organization supporting Marketing and Creative materials and have been so awed by the true heart of the people driving this work in Portland and how the bookseller community has stepped up.

When I approached Julie at Wallace Books, about partnering with @pdx.books, she met me with such heart and enthusiasm. The staff of folks I work with at the shop keep eyes out for donations every week and once a month @wallacebooks donates a banker box aligned with the specific genre requests or even special titles we need. I have truly watched as the titles we donate get matched with letters and mailed out within a week 🙌🏼

From April 21 - May 5 you can pick a book from the display at the register to purchase as a donation or from one of the places you might find our shelf talkers.

You can also stop by our friends at @alwaysherebooks, @thirdeyebag, and @broadwaybooks to participate in this week’s drive 💜

Being a bookseller is a dream and I am so grateful to work at a place like Wallace Book AND to be surrounded by such community minded book folks in Portland.

#pdx #portland #oregon #books #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #bookdrive #btp #btb

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Come join us THIS WEDNESDAY AT 5:30 PM at the Heritage House for a presentation in collaboration with LO Reads!

This year's LO Reads selection is How to Read a Book by Monica Wood. Discover Portland Books Through Bars at the presentation, an organization that formed in the mid-1990s to combat educational inequity and censorship for people who are incarcerated. Over the decades, the organization evolved into a dedicated collective working to challenge restrictive policies and advocate for the transformative power of books.

Doors open at 5:00 PM, with the presentation beginning at 5:30 PM.

#lakeoswegoreads #lakeoswego #lakeoswegooregon #howtoreadabook #oswegoheritagecouncil

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📚 Support PDX Books Through Bars: Help Them Move! 📚

PDX Books Through Bars needs your help to continue their amazing work providing books to incarcerated readers.

Every donation goes towards:
📦 Moving costs—we have books, shelves, tabling supplies, desks, and more that need a new home.
🏠 Securing a new space—which could mean increased rent and operational costs.
📬 Keeping books flowing—covering shipping and materials to continue our mission.

📢 How You Can Help:
💰 Donate to their org moving fundraiser (link in their insta bio @pdx.books !)
📲 Share this post and tag @pdx.books to amplify their message
❤️ Support their work in the fight against the Prison Industrial Complex—one book at a time.

Any amount helps, and spreading the word is just as important!

#SupportPDX #pnw #portland

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Our Book Drive for @pdx.books was a big success. Thanks to our clients and friends, we collected hundreds of books that will find their way into the hands of incarcerated individuals, thanks to the volunteers @pdx.books.

In the comments, tell us how many books you think are on the table. Whoever comes closest will win a $20 gift certificate to @wallacebooks.

@kelliekotlar @pdxveganrealestate @Timpittspdx

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Book Drive for Portland Books Through Bars

Saturday, March 15, 2025
11:00 AM 1:00 PM
2601 NE Glisan St,
Portland, OR 97232

Portland Books Through Bars distributes reading materials for free to adults in custody. They are a 100% volunteer-run, donation-based non-profit.

We’re excited to help stock their shelves through our Book Drive. Drop by anytime from 11-1 on March 15th to donate books.

The genres they need most include Fantasy, Manga, Spirituality, Off the Grid skills - Gardening and growing food, building a home etc. All books must be good condition paperback books.

If you can’t make it but would like to drop off books some other time, please send us a message and we will make a plan with you.

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Books, Community, and Impact! 📚

Yesterday, an amazing group of volunteers came together to send knowledge and hope through PDX Books Through Bars! 💌📦 From reading heartfelt letters to packing up books, every effort helped bring literature to those who need it most. 💡📖

This wasn’t just about books—it was about connection, education, and making a real impact. Huge thanks to everyone who showed up and made it happen ♥️

Stay tuned for more ways to give back!

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Portland Books Through Bars distributes reading material for free to adults in custody.

Let’s help stock their shelves with a Book Drive.

Saturday, March 15th
11am-1pm
Proud Realty Office, 2601 NE Glisan St.

Please bring paperbacks in good condition. Genres they need include : Fantasy, Manga, Spirituality (Spells, Tarot), Off the Grid Skills (Gardening and growing food, building a home)

If you’d like to drop off books another time, please send us a message and we’ll make a plan.

@pdx.books

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Your abolitionist guide to sending funds to your incarcerated pen pal (with options for those who don’t have a pen pal!)💸💌

Alt text embedded in images 1. Pink background with black text reads “So you wanna send money to your incarcerated pen-pal for the holidays (or whenever): ~An abolitionist’s guide~
this guide is Oregon specific for Black and Pink PDX pen-palships but relevant to everyone”
There’s an image of a calligraphy pen on paper

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A huge thank you to the PSU students who joined us at our PDX Books Through Bars event! 📚💌

Your time and effort packing books alongside @pdx.books, will bring comfort and connection to so many. We couldn’t have done it without you—your kindness makes a real difference! 🌟

Check the link in our bio for similar service opportunities! 📌

#BooksThroughBars #PDX ##portland #portlandstateuniversity

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On the heels of @newyorkermag release, we are in Bend, Oregon for the @bendfilmfestival, where our next film-inspired, book drive is taking place! Our efforts will be benefiting our friends at Portland Books to Prisoners, @pdx.books. To participate virtually, head to our link and bio and check out their wishlist! 🎬📚🎥

A special shoutout to local synagogue, Temple Beth Tikveh, who has already collected upwards of 200 books to support our efforts. The drives will be taking place at our film screenings where film director Andrea Kalin, @sparkmediadc, will also be in attendance.

Today, our 2nd of 3 screenings is taking place. This time at the @towertheatrebend, a historical landmark in #Bend that’s been around since 1940 and has been a festival venue for all 21 years of the fest!

For all of our #bendfilm screenings, “Public Defender” will be paired with a fellow @newyorkermag doc, “Denial,” — a film by @dlumbo and @paulmoakley.

We thank #bendfilmfestival for their support of our #bookdrive! Heather Shaner, the public defender and main participant of our film, is featured in the film giving books to her #January6th clients to so they can educate themselves and expand their world. Her commitment to #book accessibility and #education inspired us to launch these festival, film-screening drives!

There are often many restrictive regulations governing books sent to people who are behind bars, making it hard for relatives and friends with limited means to send books to loved ones, or for those who are incarcerated to receive relevant reading material. Portland Books to Prisoners helps fill this gap. As a reminder, people are incarcerated for many reasons, but the vast majority are imprisoned for nonviolent crimes.

Curriculum & Impact partners: @pulitzercenter & @interfaithamerica

#publicdefenderfilm #humanity #democracy #pluralism #disagreebetter #listentolisten #healthedivide #Election2024 #January6 #books #prisonreform #bookstoprisons #bookstoprisoners #incarceratedindividuals #incarceratedlivesmatter #reading #literacy #bookstagram #filmscreening #filmfestival #filmfest #oregon #bendoregon

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