Book Trust
Book Trust (opens in a new window) is a national literacy program that offers Title I elementary school students across the country the opportunity to choose books throughout the school year and keep them for their home libraries. Studies show that children are much more likely to read books that they choose, and having books at home brings proven benefits. Their mission is to help kids build home libraries full of books they want to read, and help teachers use those books in the classroom to build healthy habits of reading and learning. Books are selected and distributed through the Scholastic Book Club. The Book Trust has donated more than 1 million books to about 57,000 students in 21 states. If you’d like to find out whether your school or district is a good fit for Book Trust’s program, visit the Book Trust application page (opens in a new window).
First Book
First Book (opens in a new window) is a national nonprofit that has provided more than 135 million new books to children in need. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book unites leaders from all sectors of the community to identify and support community-based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with grants of free books. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary of First Book, provides new books to children from low-income families using generous donations from children’s book publishers. The First Book National Book Bank distributes large quantities of publisher-donated brand-new books to programs serving children from low-income families. The books are free to programs that are able to pick them up or for just the cost of shipping and handling. To access First Book’s free and low-cost resources, programs must register at the First Book website (opens in a new window).
International Book Project
The International Book Project gives books in the U.S., as well as shipping to communities and schools in the developing world (opens in a new window). The Local Donation Program of the International Book Project provides books for classrooms, prison libraries, homeless shelters, after school programs, library bookmobiles, school libraries, and other literacy-based non-profits and is always looking to expand and provide literacy to those in need. Visit the website for more information about the Local Donation Program (opens in a new window).
Kids Need to Read
To help underfunded communities create a culture of reading, Kids Need to Read accepts requests for books from libraries, schools, and various literacy programs through an online application (opens in a new window). Based on the age ranges and demographics of the population served, Kids Need to Read provides select books from their growing book list of more than 350 titles. Submissions from programs serving adolescent juvenile offenders, high school dropouts, youths living in poor urban or rural communities, immigrant children, kids with learning challenges, or children living on Native American reservations are strongly encouraged.
Library of Congress Surplus Books Program
The Library of Congress has surplus books (opens in a new window) available to educational institutions and non-profit tax-exempt organizations. As most of the books have been turned over to the Library of Congress by other Federal agencies, the collection usually contains only a small percentage of publications at the primary and secondary school levels. There is continuous turnover in the supply of surplus books that can only be received in person by an authorized representative of an eligible organization. The value of the books available at any one time may not justify the expense of sending a representative to Washington solely to select books from this collection, but may be worth the trip in conjunction with a visit to the nation’s capital.
Lisa Libraries
Lisa Libraries (opens in a new window) provides new children’s books to help fill bookshelves for small, grassroots organizations that work with low-income children in underserved communities and provide books to children who may never have had books to call their own. Some of the libraries established have been at day-care centers, prison-visiting areas for children of incarcerated parents, and after-school programs. Organizations interested in receiving books for their children should write to the Lisa Libraries.
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation
The Literacy Empowerment Foundation (opens in a new window) (LEF) is dedicated to assisting educational programs by providing inexpensive children’s books. The Reading Resource Project is an ongoing LEF program that distributes free books in sets of 100 books to literacy programs. Recipients pay shipping, handling, and administrative costs ($88 per set of 100 books). Reading levels are for preK through second grade and are available in a limited quantity on a first come, first served basis.
Publisher Donations
It is often worth contacting publishers as many make book donations to support literacy programs, schools and libraries. Contact the Association of American Publishers about being included in the list of groups for its Book Donation Initiative (opens in a new window) or reach out directly to publishers.
Chronicle Books (opens in a new window) often makes donations that are either related to individual titles for organizations whose requests for books or aid are modest and compelling. Chronicle will consider corporate contributions to individuals or direct grants to schools, colleges or universities under special circ*mstances and on a case-by-case basis.
Hachette Book Group (opens in a new window) donates more than 100,000 books annually, from a single signed copy for a fundraiser to large quantities for a struggling school district or library system. All requests for financial and book donations are handled by HBG’s Communications department: [emailprotected].
