The Left Bank Books Foundation is the 501c3 arm of the Left Bank Books bookstore. This innovative hybrid arrangement, one of the first in the country, allows us to do literary and literacy work in our community that a traditional independent bookstore model could not otherwise sustain.
Our mission is to increase public access to books and their authors, hold space for community conversations guided by books and their authors, increase critical literacy and the love of reading for St. Louisans of all ages, and do so in a way that centers marginalized communities.
We approach our work in an intersectional way, to include hosting events and sponsoring projects that address racism, sexism, and gender identity, while also giving a platform to the best literary voices of the day.
Our current programs include the River City Readers program, which provides free books and author events to St. Louis Public School students; the Literacy & Justice Project, which provides a free banned book to anyone who asks; our Author Event Series, which makes free author events available to the St. Louis public throughout the year; and more!