JOLIET – The annual book collection event sponsored by Will County’s Resource Recovery and Energy Division and Joliet Park District’s Pilcher Park Nature Center has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tim Anderson, who coordinates the book collection for the Will County Land Use Department, said the event, normally held in June, had been rescheduled for September before being cancelled for 2020.

Each year thousands of books change hands or are recycled, keeping them out of the landfill, he said.

“We anticipate the annual book collection event will resume in the spring of 2021,” Anderson said.

Will County Executive Denise Winfrey said, “We know this is a great disappointment to everyone who waits for this event each year. But with the threat of COVID-19 everywhere, caution is king. We would be remiss if we put our employees, volunteers and attendees at risk to hold the book recycling collection this year.”

She added, “We hope schools and individuals can hold on to their books until the spring so they won’t go into our landfill.”

For more information, call the Land Use Department, Resource Recovery and Energy Division at (815) 774-7897.

The Land Use Department is under the County Executive’s office and is led by Director David Dubois.