Cable Helps Restock New Orleans School Libraries

New Orleans’ students will soon have a replenished supply of books and videos from a book drive that is being coordinated in conjunction with the U.S. cable industry’s annual upcoming convention. Organized by Cable in the Classroom (CIC) and its partners, the CableCares’ Rebuilding Libraries book and video drive will be held May 18-20 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans as part of the Cable Show ’08, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s 57th Annual Convention and Exhibition.

Partners for this book and video drive effort include:

• AETN has donated videos, curriculum resources and books from History, Biography and A&E.
• Barnes & Noble, the U.S. bookstore chain, will operate a bookstore in the lobby of the Convention Center so attendees can purchase a book on-site. A portion of the sales will be donated back to the CableCares program.
• BET Networks, CSG Systems and Open TV made large donations to purchase classroom book sets.
• Book TV on CSPAN2 donated 2,000 new political/history books for New Orleans universities and public libraries.
• Comcast, Cox-Atlanta, ESPN, Juniper Networks and SeaChange International have each launched individual company drives to contribute thousands of books to both school and city libraries.
• Discovery Communications has provided copies of their Planet Earth series with teacher guides and support materials. The RSD has been offered a 20% discount at the Discovery Education Teacher Store.
• qubo Channel/ION Media Networks and Time Warner Cable Media Sales will be providing books and educational multi-media titles to New Orleans.
• WE tv has donated 200 videos of the complete High School Confidential series to high schools in the RSD for health education, guidance counselors and other curriculum needs.

CableCares is an umbrella program that, in addition to the book and video drive, is organizing volunteer opportunities in the New Orleans community. Other CableCare initiatives include:

• May 17-18: Bringing the Schools Back
  • Painting and landscaping the Sarah T. Reed High School campus with Amy Wynn Pastor, carpenter and host of DIY Network's “Make A Move.”
  • Installing the wiring and equipment necessary to bring cable’s advanced services to Benjamin Banneker Elementary School, with Cox New Orleans, Motorola, CommScope, Juniper Networks, and LG Electronics. Discovery Education will donate premium online Science resources, educational videos, and a full day of on-site professional development.
  • With Intel, donating 45 powerful desktop PCs for the students at Laurel Elementary School.
• May 17: Rebuilding Playgrounds
  • Building two new playgrounds for Fannie C. Williams Elementary School and Sarah T. Reed Elementary School with KaBOOM!, cable volunteers, community leaders and students.
• May 20: “Battle of the Bands”
  • A special fundraising event and silent auction at the Convention Center. Cable industry musicians will perform and the public and celebrity guest judges will vote for a winner. A silent auction, featuring autographed guitars from Eric Clapton and B.B. King, will also be held. All ticket and auction proceeds will go to support rebuilding efforts in New Orleans schools, libraries and other organizations.

Read More