Turning the Page is opening a new Carpe Librum pop-up used bookstore at 5211 Wisconsin Avenue NW this May and June. The space will be filled with thousands of high-quality used books of all genres, for all ages. Turning the Page is a nonprofit that engages public school families for student success; collecting and selling donated used books is one way they raise capital for their programs.
Purchase a book, donate a book, support a great cause, and come meet your neighbors!
Carpe Librum Hours:
Wednesday — Friday, 11:30 am to 6:30 pm
Saturday — Sunday, 12 pm to 5 pm
Events:
Children’s Book Party
Date: June 3, 11 am to 1 pm
Join children’s book authors for a special reading, fun activities, games, snacks, music, and more. This festival will be geared for elementary school-age children, but anyone can buy any book, so bring the whole family! Children can enjoy crafts, fun, and activities, and parents can browse hundreds and hundreds of children's books for sale! Music will be provided by jazz artist Heidi Martin.
The event will feature author Mary Quattlebaum and illustrator Joan Waites. Joan will be reading her most recent title, "Finley Feels." Mary will be sharing her most recent books, Adorable Animals; Brother, Sister, Me and You; and Queen Elizabeth II: A Biography.
Joan Waites Is an award-winning author-illustrator of numerous titles illustrated for the children’s trade and educational markets. She is the author-illustrator of five picture and board books. A former adjunct faculty member of the Corcoran Museum School of Art and Design’s aspiring artists programs, Joan continues to teach art enrichment for children and adults. She served for many years as the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Illustrator Coordinator, and is a member of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington D.C., and The National Art Educators Association. www.joanwaites.com
Mary Quattelbaum is the author of 30 award-winning children’s books, including Pirate vs. Pirate; Brother, Sister, Me and You; Adorable Animals; and Queen Elizabeth II. She teaches in the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and speaks frequently at schools and conferences. www.maryquattlebaum.com
Heidi Martin is the Manager for Education and Outreach for the DC Jazz Festival. A Music Arts Administrator and certified teacher, Heidi Martin, brings her commitment to creativity and nurturing the success of young learners to DCJF. She creates and develops quality music education programs and experiences for schools and organizations across the DC metro area. Deeply rooted in the Washington, DC creative community, Heidi exudes patience, warmth, and enthusiasm in her work to continue the rich music legacy of jazz and world music. Heidi was a vocal music major in the jazz studies program under the direction of Professor Calvin Jones at University of District of Columbia.
Guest Shopkeeper Nights
Dates: May 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, June 1, 4-6:30 pm
Guest Shopkeeper Night is a fun chance for you to invite your friends and colleagues to browse for books, network, mingle, and support a good cause. The Friendship Heights Alliance and Turning the Page will provide music, a wine bar, and light nibbles.
Interested? Contact jking@turningthepage.org to sign up to “host” a shopkeeper night. No experience in selling books is required: just the ability to spread the word and bring a group of people!
Friday Afternoon Ice Cream
Stop by the shop on select Friday afternoons for ice cream and to purchase a children’s or young adult book (or any book). Bring your children, tell the nanny, spread the word! Ice cream for purchase; vendor details TBD. Sidewalk chalk will be available. All are welcome.
Dates: May 12, 19, 26, 3:30-6:30 pm
Makers Market
Date: May 20, 3 pm to 7 pm
Stop by the Maker’s Market on the west side of Wisconsin Avenue, then pop over to Turning the Page to browse for books on the east side of Wisconsin.
About Turning the Page
Turning the Page engages parents to become empowered participants in their children’s education and helps ensure families of partner schools can access educational resources, such as books and community learning opportunities. Since 1998, Turning the Page has engaged and supported more than 7,000 D.C. public school families and has distributed more than 125,000 new children’s books to these families’ homes. To raise critical funds for their programs, they collect donated used books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl – of all genres and for all ages – and sell the donated items through pop-up bookstores and markets such as this newest spot at 5211 Wisconsin Avenue NW.
About the Space
This pop-up is supported by the Friendship Heights Alliance, and the space is donated by Grosvenor. As part of its placemaking initiatives, the Alliance partnered with Grosvenor earlier this year to install a colorful seating arrangement of Adirondack chairs and bistro tables, as well as flower pots, outside their property at 5225 Wisconsin Avenue NW. The Alliance is planning similar activations to highlight the pop-up bookstore.