Opportunity for Students - First Book
The U.S. Department of Education is pleased to inform you of an opportunity for students participating in supplemental educational services (SES) to receive new books for free or at deeply discounted prices. The Department has partnered with First Book (www.firstbook.org), a nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. We are very excited to share this resource with you and hope that we can work together to distribute new books in the hands of students receiving SES.
Since 1992, First Book has provided an ongoing supply of new books to children from low-income families participating in community-based programs, including after-school and tutoring/mentoring programs, as well as Title I schools and charter schools. First Book has provided more than 50 million new books to children in need and served thousands of communities nationwide.
First Book is a resource for a wide-range of educators involved in SES. SES providers can benefit directly from First Book and will be able to access new books for the students they serve. State educational agencies and local educational agencies can share this information with SES providers in their states and communities, as well as with Title I schools and charter schools serving children from low-income families, as these organizations are also eligible to receive books from First Book.
Educators are able to receive new books for free or at deeply discounted prices for their students from three separate First Book programs: First Book Advisory Boards (which grant free books to schools and local programs), the First Book National Book Bank (which distributes free books donated by leading publishing houses) and the First Book Marketplace (an online store selling books and educational materials to registered First Book schools and programs up to 90% off retail prices). Most importantly, First Book never chooses what book a child will receive; this choice is always made by a caring adult working directly with the child.
How to Connect with First Book
• Step One: Join a call to learn more. To learn more about this opportunity, please join the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement and First Book in a conference call on December 10th at 1:00 P.M. ET to learn how SES programs can further take advantage of First Book resources. This call is not required to receive books from First Book, but it will provide helpful information about how SES programs can obtain books for the children you serve. Please RSVP to Rachel at rvoorhees@firstbook.org. To participate, please dial the toll-free number: 888-387-8686 and enter number: 9743048 and press #.
• Step Two: Register with First Book. In order to access resources for free and reduced price books, you must register your program with First Book. Online registration takes about five minutes and will connect your program with all of First Book’s resources for new books. This step is required to receive books from First Book. To register visit: http://register.firstbook.org. You do not need to join the conference call above in order to register with First Book.
• Step Three: Tell a friend. We also encourage you to share this information with others in your network. Please share this with other SES programs, schools, or other initiatives in your area serving children from low-income families.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact the First Book Help Team at help@firstbook.org or toll-free at 866-393-1222.
Sincerely:
Morgan S. Brown
Assistant Deputy Secretary
Office of Innovation and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
Chandler Arnold
Senior Vice President
First Book |
