We've compiled answers to the questions we get asked most often below. If you have any other questions, please contact us

Q. Do I receive any materials to help promote my activities?
A. We had hoped to produce t-shirts for each giver, but couldn’t afford it. (Some givers are making their own.) The store or library where you will pick up your box of books will have bookmarks for you, a WBN certificate of thanks, and a WBN button for you to wear. Also, under the Resources tab at this site are downloadable logos for you to use on your Facebook, blog or elsewhere. (Just don’t tinker with the logo in any way.)
 
If a location where you are going needs something official to explain what World Book Night is, direct them to this website, and show them your letter and certificate. Most people will NOT have heard of this campaign, especially in our first year, so the explanation falls to your powers of persuasion.
 
Q.  Will there by national media to get the word out?
A.  Yes, but in a country this size, with the media just overwhelmed with messages and advertising and noise, it is almost impossible, without millions of $$, to get the word out to more than a small % of the population.  There will be a lot of local media coverage ON the day, but that’s as or after you are going out.
 
Essentially, YOU are the best ad campaign! Your good deed will not only change some lives, anything you can do on social media before, during and after World Book Night will carry the day and get the message out about how important books and reading are!
 
Q.  When do I get my books?  I haven’t heard from my pick-up location.
A.  All box pick ups will be the week of 4/16.  Each pick up location is setting its own schedule.  If you haven’t heard from your bookstore or library by 4/16, please reach out to them.
 
Q.  May I give my books away before April 23?
A.  Absolutely not. All activity must be that day or during the week after.
 
Q.  Is it too late to be a giver this year?
A.  Yes it is, but join us next year!! Put your name on our mailing list for early notification! 
 
Q. Why April 23?
A. April 23 is the UNESCO International Day of the Book, chosen in honor of Shakespeare and Cervantes, who both died on April 23 1616. (It is also the anniversary of Shakespeare's birthday.) In the Catalan region of Spain, the day is celebrated by giving a book and a flower to a loved one. We also hope that it’s a lovely spring day perfect for spreading the love of reading in your community.

Q. What is the difference between World Book Night and World Book Day?
A. World Book Day is celebrated in the UK and Ireland by giving schoolchildren a book token. World Book Night was introduced in 2011 in the UK and Ireland to bring attention to books for adult readers, with a few young adult books to be included this year, as will be the case in the United States’ inaugural year, 2012.

Q. Why not children’s books?
A. Many, many other wonderful programs already exist to get books to elementary age children. The goal of World Book Night is to seek out reluctant adult readers wherever they are, in towns and cities, in public settings or in places from nursing homes to food pantries, low income schools to mass transit.

Q. Is all activity really meant to happen only at night?
A. World Book Night is intended to indicate, as noted above, to be focused mostly on adults, but of course, we want the book givers to go out anytime Monday, April 23 to a place of their choosing to give away their 20 copies. Givers should pick a safe, well-populated public area, or indoor setting, like a hospital or school. And all givers must be 16 years or older. (Anyone younger must be accompanied by an adult.)

Q. What exactly am I handing out?
A. World Book Night books are specially-produced, not-for-resale paperbacks. Book givers will receive 20 copies of the same book, a book they love from the list of 30 picks. Givers made 3 choices, and we are doing our best to get everyone their first or second choice.

Q. Do I have to buy the books?
A. There is no charge for these special, not-for-resale editions. Givers will be responsible for any expenses incurred in picking up their carton and distributing the books. These books cannot be resold in any fashion.
Authors are foregoing royalties to make this possible, and American book publishers, the American Booksellers Association, Barnes Noble, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, Ingram Book Company, UPS, and a dozen printers and binders have paid for the production and shipping. A full list is on the home page. Through their generosity, we are able to make the books available free of charge, along with the work of many volunteers – including you!

Q. I’m in the military or a military family overseas. Can I receive books to hand out?
A. Absolutely! It is one of our priorities. See the note about a group application. We will arrange and pay for shipping. We are also looking for coordinators for US base giveaways. Just note we are out of the young adult books this year.

Q. How far will I need to travel to pick up my books if I'm a giver?
A. We will do our best to make sure all selected givers are able to pick up their books at a bookstore or library close to their home address. We have over a thousand locations across America designated. If need be, we will help seek out a rural library as a pick-up point. For cost reasons, we are not shipping to home addresses.

Q. How were the books chosen?
A. See Executive Director Carl Lennertz's blog post, but note it's now 30 books! Carl Lennertz's Blog

Q. Will there be national media coverage?
A. World Book Night is primarily intended to be local, in your community, person-to-person. You are the reading ambassadors, if you will, spreading the word locally. We also expect that local media will cover some of the book givers’ activities in hundreds of cities and towns, and we hope the givers themselves use social media to describe how their day went, as well as share photos if possible.
Having said that, we are actively working with network TV, newspapers and NPR, and expect some coverage. Anna Quindlen, our honorary national chairperson, was already featured in a major USA Today story, and will be on tv and radio April 23.

Q. Will there events in stores or libraries that night?
A. There will be a few bookstore events that day, and even the week before to get ready, but really, WBN is intended to be thousands of individual interactions and celebrations of reading and giving that day.

Q. Is World Book Night going to happen in any other countries? How do I get WBN to happen in my country?
A. Making World Book Night happen takes commitment and passion from across the reading industry. We've been in discussion with a variety of potential partners and hope that as WBN develops it will expand to other countries. We're always pleased to hear from people who wish WBN could happen in their country but it's vital to have strong committed leading partners in the trade in order to make WBN happen.

Q. I’m confused! Help!
Email us at april23@worldbooknight.org and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Just bear with us. We’re a non-profit with minimal staff – ok, 2 people – but we will get back to you. We just ask that you read up on WBN here and online and learn as much as you can first.