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All of us at First Book have been heartbroken to learn ways recent floods in Louisiana have destroyed public libraries, school libraries, and home libraries across Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas.

An aerial view of Baton Rouge, LA after 2016 flooding. Picture by U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Even before the flood waters started to recede in Baton Rouge, we knew what residents needed most urgently: clean water, a roof overhead, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing your next meal is not a gamble. But what comes afterwards? Where do we start to rebuild the foundation of a community?

“We lost everything in our library,” said Claire Clickingbeard, a teacher at Tanglewood Elementary in Baton Rouge. “As well as all teachers’ personal collections.”

Teachers from Baton Rouge and across the country wrote and told us where they needed to start.

“Our school lost its entire library, including all the books in individual classrooms, “said Sarah Batty, a teacher at Denham Springs High School in Livingston Parish. “As I was sorting through the books, I opened a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. This particular book had been handed down through three teaching generations. I saw the ink from the handwritten notes running down the pages…and I lost what little bit of composure I still had left. It was my favorite teacher possession, and there it was dripping in the remains of the river that ran through my school.”

First Book is raising funds to help restock school libraries across the region for Claire, Sarah and many other educators and their students. Funds raised will help us cover the shipping and handling costs of donated books, as well as the purchase of additional books from the First Book Marketplace.

We invite anyone passionate about the power of books, education, and the importance of community to make a donation. If you are an individual that would like to help, please visit our fundraising page to make a donation. Each $1 donated will be MATCHED with a new book from our publishing partners, up to $30,000.

We are working with our friends at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and other publishers who have generously donated a range of new books to this effort. If you are a publisher interested in contributing books to schools and programs affected by the floods, please email First Book at [email protected].

If your school or program was affected by the recent floods and would like to request new books to restock shelves or to share with the children you serve, please enter your contact information here. Please note that completing this form will not guarantee that you will receive books, but it will be the first step in the process.  First Book will share books and resources with as many schools and programs as we are able.

Please join us in restoring the basic resources needed for a school.

The post Louisiana Book Relief: Help Restock Flooded Libraries appeared first on First Book Blog.

At the heart of First Book’s mission to help children in need read, learn and succeed is the distribution of educational content. Breaking down the barriers to accessing books and other information can lift the kids we serve and their communities out of poverty and into bright futures.

When President Obama announced the ConnectED Initiative two years ago, he set an ambitious goal to provide 99 percent of American students with access to next-generation broadband internet in their classrooms and libraries by 2018. And this past April, the President followed up on this commitment with the Open eBook Initiative, a program aimed at creating a world-class digital library and making it available to students aged 4-18 from low-income families.

First Book is proud to partner with the White House to support this bold program that will bring all of America’s classrooms into the digital age. Specifically, First Book will help ensure the eBooks library reaches students in low-income families.

Many of the 180,000 schools and educational programs we serve are already working to transform their districts’ teaching and learning in the digital age. We’re excited to support Open eBooks to reinforce their efforts and take strides to ensure all children have a world of knowledge within reach.

The post How First Book & The White House are Transforming Education Today appeared first on First Book Blog.

Since the outbreak of Ebola in Liberia, schools across the region have closed — leaving children without access to traditional education opportunities and the moral support teachers provide during times of crisis.

So when we received a call from our friends at the International Book Bank and the We Care Foundation and Library asking to include books in schooling kits they were creating, we jumped at the chance.  Kids were waiting.  They needed out help.

Within hours, we began a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds to send as many books as possible, with a minimum goal of $5,000.

Thanks to generous support from individuals and partners like C&S Wholesale Grocers, Lee & Low Books, The NEA Foundation, Penguin Random House and Townsend Press, we ended up raising enough funds to send more than 40,000 brand new books (with a retail value of more than $320,000) to children in Liberia.

“We know books provide educational opportunities,” said Chandler Arnold, First Book’s Chief Operating Officer,  “But in times of trauma they also provide comforting bedtime stories, moments of family togetherness and the chance for children to temporarily escape from a frightening situation”

The books, now on their way to children and families in the affected area, will accompany child-focused information about preventing the spread of the disease.

“When our partner Michael Weah, director of the We-Care Foundation and Library in Monrovia, Liberia, asked us for a donation of books to be packaged up and hand-delivered to children locked out of school for a year or more due to the Ebola outbreak, we couldn’t say no,” said Brigid McDonnell, Program Director at International Book Bank.  “These books not only serve as critical educational tools, but also provide entertainment and escape for kids that desperately need it.  It was a pleasure for the International Book Bank to work with First Book on this donation!”

To continue to help get books to kids in need throughout the country and internationally, donate to First Book today.

The post Books for Kids in Ebola-Affected Liberia appeared first on First Book Blog.

Yesterday afternoon a massive tornado hit the town of Moore, just outside Oklahoma City. Dozens have been killed, hundreds injured and the town was nearly leveled. This is one of the most destructive tornadoes in the history of the United States and even more destructive weather is possible in the region over the next few days.

When a disaster like this hits, especially in schools and harming children as this did, we all look on, feeling empathy, wishing they could do something. Us too, here at First Book, watching the twitter feeds, the news, and holding our breath, hoping one more person will be found alive. The time will come to rebuild schools and provide books for schools whose home and school libraries were destroyed.

Until then, please join us in supporting the  Red Cross in their disaster relief efforts. This organization is the front line to repair and support, not just those in Moore, OK, but all who need it most in the region over the next few days.

You can go online at www.redcross.org and donate. Call Red Cross at 1-800 REDCROSS. Text REDCROSS to 90999, to give $10, or click on the American Red Cross image on the left to donate.

The post Moore, Oklahoma – Our Hearts Are With You appeared first on First Book Blog.

Since Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast last fall, First Book has been working to help local schools, community programs and families rebuild their lost libraries.

Now, thanks to our friends at Random House, we have the resources to rebuild tens of thousands of home and classroom libraries: over one million brand-new, high-quality kid’s books.

We just need to get the word out.

Help us by sharing this blog post with anyone you know who works with children in need, and tell them to sign up with First Book today.

Recognizing the wide-ranging impact of this storm on many aspects of children’s lives, schools and programs do not have to have been physically damaged by the storm to apply for books. Any school or program that was affected by the storm or serves children in need in one of the 13 affected states is encouraged to sign up to receive books.

NOTE: The books are available to schools and programs in the 13 states designated by FEMA as being affected by Hurricane Sandy: Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC.

The post One Million Books Available Now for Schools and Programs in States Affected by Hurricane Sandy appeared first on First Book Blog.

Click here (or on the flyer above) to sign up! Feel free to share this link, or download the graphic and share.

Hurricane Sandy caused much devastation to the East Coast. Families lost their homes, buildings were heavily damaged and countless children, families and schools lost libraries full of books.

The students at Union Elementary School in Farmington, CT, decided to take action.

Some Union Elementary students came across First Book’s initiative to raise money to provide new books to children affected by Hurricane Sandy. They wanted to contribute to First Book’s effort, so they collected loose change for a month.

Mrs. Banta, the school’s main office clerk, hauled a big bucket of change to Farmington Savings Bank, and got a check for more than $400, enough to provide 160 brand-new books to children affected by Hurricane Sandy.

“The leadership, staff, teachers, students and families of Union School strongly share First Book’s belief that books are among the critical resources that children need every day, and we were so pleased with the strong response we received from everyone in collecting change to turn into dollars, then a check, then lots of books for kids,” said Jessica Lister, a Union Elementary School mom and publicity co-chair of the PTO.

Although the storm has passed, many families and children are still living in shelters and have lost many of their personal belongings. You can help just as the kids at Union Elementary did, by clicking here. Every $2.50 you contribute will provide a new book to a child affected by the storm.

Last night, four First Book employees, with help from American Federation of Teachers’ volunteers, ventured to a small alley in the financial district of New York City to unload, label and sort 30,000 children’s books for victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The American Federation of Teachers and their local New York affiliate, the United Federation of Teachers, requested 30,000 new books from First Book to go to kids in the affected areas. To get the books there on time, First Book staffers loaded a 26-foot truck with the 30,000 books yesterday afternoon and drove them to a warehouse in lower Manhattan.

Anna Taleysnik-Mehta, who headed up First Book’s efforts, stated:

“Books for tomorrow ready to go, almost all the rest are up in storage and being sorted; we just did a day of work in an hour and change thanks to the amazing building crew and AFT and First Book staff”

We couldn’t be more grateful for the volunteers who lent their support to this effort. Our thoughts continue to be with the millions of Americans who are still impacted by this storm.

If you are interested in providing books to children in need who are affected by Hurricane Sandy to help them get through this challenging time, please donate.

As first-responders are working to provide these families with electricity, water, and other critical resources, First Book—in partnership with our local volunteers and partners—is raising funds to restock school and home libraries. After distributing more than 5 million books in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we know new books can be valuable lifelines for those whose worlds have been turned upside down.

Your help will ensure that children in need will have new books — stories at bedtime, the chance to be transported to another world, and the opportunity to return to normalcy.

Every $2.50 you contribute will provide a new book to a child affected by the storm.

Your impact will also be DOUBLED as each gift of $2.50 will be matched by an additional book from First Book’s publishing partners.

Mary Pope Osborne reads to New Orleans school children.

Mary Pope Osborne, author of the popular children’s book series, Magic Tree House, and Random House Children’s Books teamed up with First Book to provide 4,000 books to children in need in 27 Recovery School District schools in New Orleans this month. On April 19th and 20th, Osborne visited with and read to children from six of the schools that received books. She also spoke about her enthusiasm for working with First Book and her inspiration for writing on WWLTV Eyewitness Morning News.

Ms. Osborne said, “Working with First Book in New Orleans was an inspiring adventure. Together we visited a number of schools and put new books into the hands of young readers. Our shared belief is that reading provides the path toward greater possibilities for the future — and every child deserves the opportunity to set out on the journey.”

Will Osborne, Marlene Pete (Treasurer, First Book-Greater New Orleans), Lynetta Rhodes (Co-Chair, First Book-Greater New Orleans) and Kyle Zimmer (President and CEO, First Book) cheer Mary Pope Osborne as she accepts a proclamation from the mayor in her honor.

Ms. Osborne donated new copies of Magic Tree House #42: A Good Night for Ghosts, in which Magic Tree House characters Jack and Annie travel back in time to meet a young boy named Louis Armstrong and encourage him to share his gift of music with the world.

Mary Pope Osborne, author of the wildly popular Magic Tree House series, and Random House Children’s Books are teaming up with First Book to provide 4,000 books to children in 27 Recovery District schools in New Orleans. On Monday and Tuesday of next week, Ms. Osborne will personally visit with and read to children from six of the schools that are receiving books.

In anticipation of the New Orleans Jazz Festival that begins later that week, Ms. Osborne and Random House will be donating new copies of Magic Tree House #42: A Good Night for Ghosts, in which Magic Tree House characters Jack and Annie travel back in time to meet a young unknown boy named Louis Armstrong and encourage him to share his gift of music with the world.

Mary Pope Osborne said, “When my husband Will and I visited New Orleans shortly after Katrina, we were tremendously moved and inspired by the spirit of the city and its people. New Orleans has always been one of our favorite cities in the world, and on that trip we promised all the kids we met that Jack and Annie would soon visit New Orleans in the Magic Tree House and have an adventure with a young Louis Armstrong. We are now very happy to share that adventure—and the magic of reading—with them.”

Check back next week to hear from Mary Pope Osborne herself!

On August 21, we wrapped up our two-year effort to bring five million new books to the communities impacted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. We not only met but exceeded our goal, with a total of more than 5.1 million books distributed!

We celebrated this accomplishment with an event at the New Orleans Public Library, where sixty students from Martin Behrman Charter Elementary School in New Orleans joined us, along with community members, local and national dignitaries, and representatives from some of our corporate and publishing partners — without whom we could not have made this happen!

From the moment we boarded the plane on Monday, I knew this would be a momentous occasion filled with lots of special moments. And I wasn’t wrong. The flight to Louisiana brought back some poignant memories for me and I’m sure for every First Book staffer who was able to make at least one visit to the Gulf Coast during the past two years.

Significant progress has been made in removing the blue tarps from the roofs of damaged homes that stood out like giant waves, greeting travelers as they approached the NOLA airport. The tarps are mostly gone now but unfortunately, it means the homes were demolished and the land cleared of rubble that more often than not included families’ hopes, dreams and lives that can never be replaced.

Once we arrived at the library on Tuesday, I began to feel a little sad thinking that Book Relief was done. But as the show progressed, I also felt great pride in our accomplishments.

Of all the presentations, I think that Barry Lemoine, a teacher from St. Bernard’s Parish Public Schools, was most poignant. His recollections of the loss of his prized book collection and of his children being without everything, including books, and of how First Book showed up and changed their lives was totally mesmerizing.

One of my difficult moments was when I met a woman who was a member of the original NOLA Advisory Board long before Katrina. She showed up at the event and told me her story of losing everything and battling the system to try and rebuild. She said that through it all First Book kept her going.

I was seated beside Anna when the plane left NOLA. We were looking out the window and she very quietly said, “I don’t want to leave!” I recognized the feeling.

….On to the next adventures!

Tags: FirstBook, BookRelief, Katrina, GulfCoast, NewOrleans

Many of our book distributions would not be possible without the help of the U.S. Coast Guard. As the signature charity of the Coast Guard, First Book relies on their warehouse space and volunteers to help us distribute millions of books to kids in need.

The Coast Guard worked with us on our New Orleans book distribution in March, and they recently issued this press release about the distribution — including some great photos from the warehouse.

You can learn more about our partnership with the Coast Guard on our website.

Tags: FirstBook, USCoastGuard, CoastGuard, NewOrleans

Guest blogger Dr. Frances Weiler, is the principal of North Bay Elementary School in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

August 29, 2005 changed the world — at least it changed my world. My home, my school, and my community were essentially destroyed. Thousands of homes were swept away by the fury of Hurricane Katrina, and thousands more were damaged beyond repair.

Schools did not escape the destruction. Along with the forceful winds, Katrina swept ten feet of water over North Bay Elementary which knocked out exterior and interior walls, flooded all books, records and instructional materials, and left our school community in ruins. Those ruins are still in view every day. We can see it out the windows of our temporary classrooms; our school buses pass it as they transport our students to and from school. And destruction is still visible everywhere in our community.

Like Charles Dickens wrote, “it was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” August 29 was certainly our worst, and those days after August 29 were filled with many anxieties.

One of our very first tasks was the daunting one of contacting teachers and staff. To our great relief, no district employee was lost to Katrina, even though some did decide to leave immediately after the storm.

Within two weeks district administrators were working to put our schools back together, and on November 7 we came back together with fewer than 50% of our students for our first day of school after Katrina. After missing 45 school days, all of us were more than ready to be back in our school and our classrooms.

As we prepared to have our second “first” day of school, we discovered many things. One was the generosity of people throughout the nation; donations poured in from all directions to replace those classroom essentials that we had lost. Two was that Dian (Dee) Ross of First Book contacted us to talk about the donation of thousands of books.

Our relationship with First Book had begun several years ago through the instigation of a retired staff member, and we had always valued that relationship. Since the storm, Dee has become a dynamic advocate for our school and has strengthened our First Book connection. Dee, through First Book, has supplied our students with numerous books, and we are so thankful for both her and First Book for restoring our students’ supply of books.

First Book and I share the same beliefs about the importance of books for students. Personally, I love the joy on every student’s face whenever new books are distributed. Students are so excited when they receive their very own books to take home.

When I became principal of North Bay over six years ago, I initiated a program that rewarded good behavior with books because I know that literacy depends a great deal upon the number of books that are available to students at their homes. I also try to talk with students about their books because that sharing of books emphasizes the importance of reading and shares the joy.

Many of us are still in the FEMA travel trailers, but they are packed with books! Reading is still the way to escape the reality of daily life, and now we need that more than ever. Thank you, First Book, for providing one more way to give our students books.

Tags: BayStLouis, Mississippi, HurricaneKatrina, hurricane, BookRelief, FirstBook

A sign in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, LA. View more photos from New Orleans on
First Book’s Flickr Page

I just got back from a week-long trip to New Orleans, and I don’t think I’ve come back the same person. The week was intense and my mind is racing with impressions of the place and the people I met.

I went to New Orleans with three coworkers to distribute 260,000 books for Book Relief, and counting this distribution we should be right at 4 million books now. First Book is the charitable partner of the US Coast Guard, so we spent the week in their warehouse on a Naval facility on the Mississippi River, and working alongside all those incredible people was an awesome experience.

Our staff and volunteers on the first day in the warehouse.

Most of the men and women I met were first responders during Katrina — pulling people off rooftops and bodies from buildings. In the 4 days I was there, I developed a deeper respect for these individuals than I have for most people I’ve known my whole life. I think I made a few friends while I was there, people who’ve promised to stay in touch but who I’ll never forget, even if they don’t.

One of my First Book co-workers, Kit, came with us on her final First Book distribution. She retired from the organization last week after 4 dedicated years. So dedicated in fact, that she’s made 14 trips to the Gulf Coast just since the storms!

Kit was a perfect tour guide, leading us through not only the Garden District and the French Quarter, but through the Lower 9th Ward and Plaquemines Parish, where I finally got to see the devastation first hand. I’ve posted a few pictures, but it was hard to do it justice.

There is life in these places, but the destruction is still evident. The streets are clear of debris, but block after block all you see are washed out homes covered in spray paint. But in spots all over the city, you see signs of life returning with restaurants and corner stores sporting signs that say “Grand Opening!”. I have to say, I’ve never eaten so well in my life!!!

On Thursday and Friday we delivered books to a few organizations, and they were all so appreciative. This was my first experience meeting our recipient groups face-to-face, and it was worth the wait.

Our amazing City Year volunteers.

A few schools took us on tours of their new campuses, largely based out of trailers but still thriving. Perhaps the most powerful experience was visiting one of the FEMA trailer parks, where 800 children live with their families in 450 trailers, and their community center has a single shelf of books, maybe only 30 in all. 30 books for 800 kids!

But thanks to our dedicated volunteers from City Year, several boxes of books were delivered to their community center on Friday. Yay, books for kids!

As a member of our Corporate Strategy team, I know that the work I do writing press releases and partnership proposals helps make giving books to kids possible, and so I know that I’m making a difference. But to actually be there alongside our volunteers and meet the recipients firsthand… that’s something tangible I will always carry with me.

I don’t think I’ve come back from this trip as the same person I was when I left, which I mean in the best way possible. I hope some of the wonderful people I met in New Orleans get the chance to read this so they can know how much difference they’ve made in my life. I wish them all the best — I can’t think of a group of people who deserve it more.

Tags: NewOrleans, GulfCoast, CoastGuard, Louisiana, FirstBook

Kit arrives at her surprise party.

It was with mixed emotions that the First Book staff gathered for a surprise farewell luncheon for our dear colleague, Kit Lunney. After four years at First Book, there was much to celebrate and reminisce over, through laughter and a few tears.

Kit has been instrumental in so many aspects of First Book’s work, but over the last two years, she has been the backbone of the Book Relief initiative — helping to lead the organization in our commitment to place 5 million new books back into the Gulf Coast region in the wake of the 2005 hurricanes.

Kit is awarded the Key to the City by the mayor of Lake Charles, Louisiana

Having made more than a dozen trips to the Gulf Coast during the last 18 months, the Gulf Coast has become almost a second home for Kit. From meeting with volunteers, to engaging with Recipient Groups, to forging new partnerships and distributing thousands of books from warehouses across the region — every task has been handled with care, even down to the last detail.

But these dedicated efforts haven’t just been noticed by fellow staff — in December 2006, Kit was awarded the Key to the City by the mayor of Lake Charles, Louisiana. We were so proud and were thrilled to help Kit celebrate this honor.

Thank you, Kit, for your hard work, countless hours, and tireless commitment to First Book and Book Relief over the last several years. You truly are an inspiration to us and we don’t know what we’ll do without you. Our love and best wishes go with you as you embark on your next adventures!

Tags: KitLunney, FirstBook

First Book is pleased to announce our new partnership with the award-winning reference publisher, Encyclopaedia Britannica!

This exciting partnership was kicked off at the end of last year with an incredible Book Relief donation of 54 new Encyclopaedia Britannica encyclopedia sets, all of which were sent to the Plaquemines Parish School District in Bellechasse, Louisiana. Plaquemines Parish was one of the many communities devastated by the 2005 hurricanes and the educators there were ecstatic to receive the donation, which will be used to help rebuild reference collections in the schools.

First Book is also excited to announce that we are now featuring Encyclopaedia Britannica titles on the First Book Marketplace, including the Britannica Learning Library, My First Britannica, and the Britannica Discovery Library. This partnership will provide unprecedented access to much-needed educational reference materials for nonprofit organizations serving low-income children.

“First Book’s mission fits perfectly with our goals and our corporate culture. First Book is filling an essential social need as well as providing critical resources for underfunded programs. In addition, they execute like no other organization is able to do. We have a strong commitment to First Book and couldn’t be happier with this partnership,” said Michael Ross, Senior Vice President and Education General Manager of Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Welcome, Encyclopaedia Britannica!

Tags: EncyclopaediaBritannica, encyclopaedia

We recently received this email from a Recipient Group in Louisiana:

Hello Friends at First Book,

I just wanted to let you know how important First Book has been to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

I was the Assistant Director in Plaquemines Parish La. where the eye of Katrina crossed over first. We lost our home and all our belongings. I have relocated to Rapides Parish
(Alexandria) La. where I was blessed to find a great job here at the library.

Rapides has received and distributed hundreds of First Books to evacuees and I have sent them back with my grandchildren when they returned to St. Bernard, La. (another area hit hard by Katrina). For a while after Katrina, these were the only books they had, having lost theirs in the storm.

I thought that you should know that the books are getting in to the hands of those who need them and that they are appreciated.

Sincerely,
Tammy DiBartolo
Youth Services Manager
Rapides Parish Library

Tags: FirstBook, HurricaneKatrina, Louisiana