First Book

First Book is a national nonprofit organization with a simple mission: to give disadvantaged children the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The primary goal of First Book is to work with existing local literacy programs to distribute new books and educational materials to children who, for economic or other reasons, have little or no access to books. First Book works to effectively leverage the heroic efforts of local tutoring, mentoring, and family literacy organizations already working to reach children who need help the most. In the last three years alone, First Book has provided more than 20 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide.

NSSEA nationally supports First Book through the National Book Bank. In addition, NSSEA supports First Book at the local levels through the Book Bank 5K Run/Walk held annually to donate funds to a First Book Local Advisory Board.

The First Book National Book Bank (FBNBB) is a centralized donation and distribution agent that enables publishers to donate books and related products to community-based programs throughout the United States that reach children in need. The FBNBB, a subsidiary of First Book, was founded in 1999 by a partnership among The National School Supply and Equipment Association; the Children’s Book Council, Inc; and the U.S. Coast Guard. Working together these organizations provide warehouse space and support to the program. Publishers ship book donations to First Book National Book Bank partner-donated warehouses, and First Book coordinates the books’ distribution.

For more information about how you can become involved with First Book, call (202) 393-1222. Or visit firstbook.org.

National Book Bank

What are the benefits to publishers’ participation in the First Book National Book Bank?

Cost Saving. By making one large-scale donation to the First Book National Book Bank, publishing companies save the cost of making multiple small book shipments to fulfill donation requests.

Efficiency. The First Book National Book Bank provides an efficient and cost-effective method for handling the donation requests that publishing companies receive. Publishing companies can refer those requesting donations to the First Book National Book Bank. Donors are ensured that programs they select have opportunities to receive books.

Marketing Potential. First Book integrates donations into cause-based marketing campaigns and creative, large-scale media and marketing efforts that serve the promotional goals of publishing companies and their authors.

Local Impact. Every book donated to the First Book National Book Bank becomes the property of a child from a low-income family participating in a community-based tutoring, mentoring or family literacy program. In this way, the books brighten the lives of children while improving the quality of pre-school and after-school programs nationwide.

Community Building. By participating in the First Book National Book Bank, publishing companies support the hardest to reach children and build new generations of readers. The children who receive books from the First Book National Book Bank would otherwise have little or no access to books in their homes. Data shows that the most successful way to improve the reading achievement of children from low-income families is to increase their access to print.

What types of books does the First Book National Book Bank distribute?

The First Book National Book Bank distributes only new children’s books and educational materials. Because of its vast network of literacy programs serving children in need of books, the First Book National Book Bank accepts a wide range of titles appropriate for a broad spectrum of readers. However, the First Book National Book Bank reserves the right to review title lists before accepting books to ensure that the books are appropriate for the populations that it serves.

What is the procedure for donating books?

After the books are earmarked for donation, the First Book National Book Bank will take the following steps:

1. Review the donation titles and quantity details.
2. Provide a warehouse address for the book shipment.
3. Arrange the books’ distributions to tutoring, mentoring and family literacy programs serving low-income children
4. Provide any required documentation of the donation.

What are the quantity restrictions?

No donation is too large or too small for the First Book National Book Bank to accommodate.

Do the books have to be packaged in any specific manner?

Distributions are most efficient when the books are shipped on pallets and packaged by title with the same number of books per carton. However, the First Book National Book Bank is capable of distributing all book donations regardless of book packaging if the publisher provides advance notice with shipment details.

How much notice does the First Book National Book Bank require for book shipments?

The First Book National Book Bank can generally provide a warehouse address for book shipment within 5 business days of a publisher’s initial donation contact.

If a publisher receives requests for books directly from literacy programs, can these organizations participate in the First Book National Book Bank?

Simply refer any organization seeking requests to the First Book National Book Bank. These groups can apply to receive books by visiting www.firstbook.org.