‘Book-ISH’ used book drive and fundraiser planned to aid Island Sexual Health

A used book drive and fundraiser are being planned to help provide aid to the Island Sexual Health Community Health Center (ISH). 

This Book-ISH fundraiser is being organized by the Queer Reads book club at Books & Shenanigans, located in Cook Street Village. 

According to organizers, the idea to help ISH stems from a book the club recently read, All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson. 

“In this memoir, two themes we learned about were the consequences of social biases and inadequate sexual education,” organizers wrote on the fundraiser webpage.  

“This prompted us to learn more about sexual education programs in our community, and this led us to Island Sexual Health.”

Originally a part of Planned Parenthood, ISH has been operating with a homebase in Victoria since 1969. 

They work diligently to provide accessible sexual and primary health care and dismantle systemic barriers to care.

Their sexual education programs are intended to promote positive sexuality and provide information on choices to prevent negative outcomes such as unintentional pregnancies, exposure to sexually transmitted infections and sexual exploitation. 

In doing this work, ISH aims to create inclusive spaces where all feel seen and valued. 

According to ISH, from 2024 to 2025 alone, their sexual education programs reached 19,022 individuals through 687 workshops.

However, in 2026, ISH had to suspend workshops due to loss of funding, causing the organization to cut some aspects of their programming. 

When the Queer Reads book club found out that ISH was in need of funds to continue aspects of the sexual education program, they decided to help by planning the upcoming Used Book Drive. 

The two aspects of this endeavour include a direct fundraiser with all funds going to ISH and the book sale that will take place on Saturday, July 25th. All books will be priced at $5 for the book sale and all proceeds will go directly to ISH. 

A week prior to the book sale, the used book drive will take place on July 18th at Books & Shenanigans, where used books will be accepted to be sold for the cause on the 25th. Queer Reads says that July 18th is the only day used books will be accepted for this cause. 

This fundraiser offers readers two opportunities: one to get rid of some old books that are gathering dust on their shelves, and the other to allow Victorians a chance to pick up some new, gently-used reads. 

Donations can be made to ISH directly online via the Book-ISH fundraiser webpage.