Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Tally.
Hi Angie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
The idea that became AIMS began in 2010. As a part of my job as children’s department manager at the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, NC, I often hosted author events at local elementary schools, It quickly became apparent that the only children leaving the events with copies of the author’s book were those who could afford to purchase them. Children who inevitably had brimming bookshelves in their homes. Children with families who value book ownership and the love of reading that grows from treasured personal libraries. Authors speaking at these events were setting kids on fire for story, for writing, for literary discussions. However, when kids left the event with no book in their hand, often the lessons learned and messages shared were quickly forgotten. So, From these events grew the idea that eventually became the children’s literary nonprofit AIMS- Authors in Moore Schools.- a nonprofit that would grow a love of reading in young children by bringing authors, students, teachers, parents, and communities together through great books.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
AIMS serves to bring the best of the best to rural central North Carolina. To show kids that they can come from anywhere and be anything they dream of becoming. The Challenge has been to ONLY bring the best of the best to NC. As the Children’s department manager of the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, I have contact with numerous publishing houses, and it was, at first, a challenge to convince publishers to send ONLY the best of the best to NC. However, after AIMS appointed a fabulous governing board including Pam Moore, Christine Leo, and Julie MacPherson, all Moore County School teachers and administrators, and Coretta Scott King honoree Kelly Starling Lyons, AIMS began fundraising, and publishers began to pay attention.
Fundraising, even for fabulous ventures, can have its challenges. However, Moore County is an incredibly generous community. Book clubs, businesses, The Arts Council, Rotary, Kiwanis, The Moore County Community Foundation, and generous individual donors have wholeheartedly supported AIMS mission for 7 years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Authors in Moore Schools and The Country Bookshop?
AIMS-Authors in Moore Schools’ mission is to grow a love of reading in young children by bringing students, authors, schools, parents, and communities together through great books. Through partnerships with national publishers, local businesses, Local schools, and local bookstores, AIMS has hosted free events with award-winning and national bestselling authors at more than 50 elementary and middle schools, focusing programming on rural and underserved Southeastern North Carolina. With grants from community foundations, private foundations, service organizations, businesses, and book-loving individuals, AIMS has provided more than 22,000 free autographed books to students attending in-person and virtual presentations by authors in their schools. After meeting authors, hearing an author speak, having the opportunity to ask questions, and then take home an autographed book, students effectively grow their personal libraries one book at a time and while also growing a love and appreciation for books and book ownership.
AIMS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit with all administrative services and program management provided by volunteers, allowing all monies raised to go directly to providing books to children. In the past six years, AIMS has hosted National Book Honor award-winning author Jason Reynolds, Newbery winner Katherine Applegate, and Carole Boston Weatherford and Newbery Honor award winners Shelia Turnage and Shannon Hale, Caldecott honor recipients Sophie Blackall, Tony DiTerlizzi, Grace Lin, and Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen, Coretta Scott King award recipients Kelly Starling Lyons, Kwame Mbalia, and Varian Johnson, Edgar Award winners Christina Diaz Gonzalez and James Ponti, NC Battle of the Books authors Kelly Yang, Barbara O’Connor and Stacy McAunulty, and more than 50 additional authors including many authors whose books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller list including rock star authors Dav Pilkey and Alan Gratz.
Schools have used books presented in AIMS programs as all-school reads, teachers have conducted grade-wide book clubs, and librarians have built month-long themes around topics related to AIMS books. Literary discussions have sprung up in schools and in homes, and most importantly, students have developed a love of reading and book ownership as their personal libraries have grown full of autographed books.
AIMS program has served for 7 years to bring award-winning authors and illustrators to underserved Southeastern North Carolina. To bring the best of the best in children’s literature to students who may otherwise never encounter award-winning, high-quality, amazing creators of art and literature and to show these same students that they can one day be art and literature creators themselves. AIMS works with local granting organizations, businesses, and individuals to provide FREE copies of the author/illustrator’s books for students attending the programs.
Its the comments that tell the real story:
One child, leaving an event with Kelly Yang at Alderman Road Elementary “You mean, this is MY book? I get to keep if forever???”
“I guarantee none of these kids’ homes have any books as wonderful as this. This event is changing their whole families’ lives.”
– Angela Purcell, Scotland County
“AIMS has been fantastic for Cameron Elementary, it brings books and authors to my little school and has really helped create a culture of literacy and grow a love of books and reading among my students.”
–Lori Paulus, Media Specialist,
Cameron Elementary
“There’s just Something about a new book. It creates some kind of euphoria.”
– Dante Poole, Aberdeen Elementary
“Our students are so enriched by the experience of meeting these authors. I do not know any other district that has the chance to change students’ lives by meeting these authors. These visits open doors for students to new books, and students still connect to these authors and their books years after a visit. The students love that they have met a real, published author and love being able to relate with these authors because they too were kids who found their way to becoming writers. It connects these students to the big world around them by meeting these authors that come from around the world. It is an amazing life-changing program!”
– Heather Bridges, West End Elementary
“This is the best day of my life.” 5th grader after meeting author John Patrick Green
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I devour books at a ridiculous rate so in addition to shopping at independent bookshops like The Country Bookshop, Quail Ridge, McIntyre’s, and Flyleaf, I have a subscription to www.librofm.com, an audiobook company with real humans on the other end of the line. I listen to Fresh Air on NPR and religiously read the New York Times book review. I’m also a complete art geek, so I follow the NC museum of Art, the Nasher, The Ackland, and the Hirshhorn museum on social media and listen rather obsessively to the Artcurious podcast which regularly sends me deep into art rabbit holes.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.authorsinmooreschools.org
- Instagram: aimsauthorsinmooreschools
