By the end of World War II, more than one hundred million volumes were destroyed in Europe by the Nazis. America’s librarians responded to Germany’s “bibliocaust” by urging Americans to donate millions of books to the armed services. Here, on the steps of the New York Public Library, thousands gather to catch a glimpse of their favorite celebrities and donate books. The Victory Book Campaign’s fi rst director, Althea Warren, inspired librarians across the United States to gather millions of books for homesick and weary servicemen. “Librarians know,” she said, “that some printed pages are . . . tourists’ tickets out of boredom or loneliness to exhilarating adventures.” Celebrities including Kate Smith, a popular singer remembered to this day for her rendition of “God Bless America,” raised awareness of the need to donate books to the VBC. Eleanor Roosevelt urged Americans to give good books to the armed services and proudly gave on behalf of herself and the president.
