Unique fundraiser?

Here in Pittsburgh there is a http://www.pittsburghlectures.org/section.php?pageID=110 and an annual http://www.aclupa.org/events/pittsburghannualbannedbook.htm. They both feature local celebs reading short pieces in interesting locations. I'm not sure if those will raise enough funds, but I thought I'd make the suggestion.

I recently ordered a book through Amazon.com that came from a public library in Oregon. Turned out they were selling donated books through Amazon.com! This may be too similar to your used book idea, but maybe it could be done in partnership with the library? An organization I've worked with in the past have done silent auctions of goods/services donated by local businesses. Please research the best way to do this if you decide to try it; one way it can go wrong is to not set good starting bid prices. But it does get you into contact with businesses. Raffle? Sorry I don't know more. Good luck.

Contact the local Big Chain Bookstore (BCB) in your area and see if you guys can do gift wrapping for them during the holidays. I work at a BCB, and the local chapter of the Literacy Volunteers of America wraps for us from Black Friday through Christmas Eve. We provide the paper and tape, they provide the volunteers to wrap. Suggested donation is $1 per thing wrapped. It works well for everyone involved - we don't have to wrap at a busy time, they raise money, and customers don't have to wrap. Since it's a literacy charity, a bookstore is a natural fit. They also display brochures about their work, and little book oriented pins for sale.

Bake sales. This would work especially well at the holidays. People bake stuff and then your patrons buy it. You can either do it by the piece or by the pound. The volunteers who bake normally don't mind spending a couple of hours and a couple of dollars making something. And people will buy it! Most people can't resist a small treat. Along the same lines - caramel apples, popcorn balls, caramel corn. All inexpensive to make and good sellers. A read a thon? They do these in schools all the time. You get people to pledge that they will give you a dime or whatever per page you read during a set period of time. I recently went to a fundraiser which was awesome! It was a tasting event where about 20 local restaurants donated their food. In exchange for their donation they got to publicize their restaurant, hand out menus, drum up catering business, etc. I paid $20 and got to walk around for 3 hours and sample each restaurant's food. There was entertainment including a belly dancer group, singer/songwriters and a silent auction. Wine tasting events are also very fun and profitable.

Last year, our library held a "Truck Petting Zoo." Local businesses simply parked their big rigs and construction equipment in the overflow lot and let kids climb all over them. Reps from the companies were there to answer questions and make sure no one got hurt. It was very well attended and the kids just loved it. You could charge a nominal admission fee, then set up concession stands for extra $$$. I have no idea how you tie this into literacy, but I'm sure a clever slogan could do the trick.

A book festival?

Host a celebrity spelling bee and invite prominent local people who theoretically ought to know how to spell (senior government officials, radio/TV personalities, etc.) to participate. People will pay good money to watch the (in)famous appear illiterate.

My wife participates in an art auction every year at our local library. They hold a silent auction, and the artists & library split the profits 50-50.

This seems to be my answer to ever MeFi question but you could raffle off a subcription to the http://www.gratefulpalate.com/?p=baconofthemonth This has NOTHING to do w/ literacy or reading.