James Patterson is donating £50,000 (about $65,725) to school libraries in the U.K. through a new program set up by Scholastic Book Clubs. The Bookseller reported that Scholastic "will make £25,000 available to schools and teachers in the autumn term and another £25,000 in the spring term as part of Patterson's Big Book Giveaway. One hundred schools will receive £250 each per term and Scholastic will top up each donation with a 25% off 'reward' to increase the number of books that schools are able to buy."
Patterson commented: "Libraries are at the heart of every school, and I'm thrilled to be partnering with Scholastic to continue to underscore both the need to sustain them, and the vital role that school libraries, librarians and teachers play in transforming lives and fostering a love for learning. I can't stress enough how important books and reading are to a child's development--better readers make better people and ultimately better citizens."