Put It in a Book, the nonprofit partner of Black Pearl Books in Austin, Tex., announced this morning that Charley Rejsek, CEO of BookPeople, Texas's largest bookstore, has been named the organization’s executive director. Resjek, an outspoken advocate for the freedom to read who ended her tenure at BookPeople on August 31, will assume her position at Put It in a Book on October 1.

Put It in a Book, launched in 2021 by Katrina Brooks, the owner of Austin’s only Black-owned bookstore, partners with schools and community organizations throughout the Austin metro area to promote literacy and make books more accessible, especially for youth in underserved communities. It also provides author programming at the University of Texas and at Huston-Tillotson University, an HBCU.

As executive director, Rejsek is tasked with leading the organization’s strategies for growth, increasing community engagement, and expanding programming to connect children and teens with books that reflect their lives and cultures. Rejsek served as general manager at BookPeople for three years before becoming CEO in 2022. She previously spent 19 years working in various positions for Barnes & Noble.

In a release, Put It in a Book lauded Rejsek for possessing “decades of experience in the book industry and a deep passion for equitable access to stories, access, and information.” The organization cited Rejsek sharing the title of PW’s 2023 Person of the Year with Valerie Koehler, the owner of Houston's Blue Willow Bookshop, for their advocacy in opposing Texas House Bill 900. The proposed legislation required that book vendors rate the sexual content of books destined for public schools and libraries; its opponents argued this bill posed a threat to freedom of expression and intellectual freedom. While the bill was signed into law in June 2023, key parts of it were blocked by the federal courts and remain unenforceable.

Brooks praised Rejsek “for her leadership, industry expertise, dedication to protecting access to diverse books, and unwavering belief in the power of books to change lives.” She is, Brooks added, “the perfect fit for our mission.”

Rejsek stated that she is “honored to join Put It in a Book, an organization rooted in empowerment, literacy, and joy. I’ve seen firsthand the way books can ignite young minds. I look forward to building on this important work with a team so clearly dedicated to equity and impact.”