Book Donation Campaign

The Department of Education teamed with First Book and Random House Children's Books to launch the 2008 Summer Reading Initiative <http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2008/05/05062008.html>. The Initiative marked the first stage of a national distribution of over 850,000 free, new Random House children's books to schools, libraries and literacy organizations serving low-income youth across the country. Some 500,000 books were distributed in this first stage of the initiative.

The effort is part of our Book Donation Campaign, a multi-year effort of the U.S. Department of Education, First Book and a host of major U.S. book publishing companies to promote literacy and supply books to children in need. Since June 2006, we have collaborated to distribute nearly 3 million children's books to schools, libraries and literacy organizations serving low-income youth across the country. Later this month, the Department and First Book will announce the availability and subsequent national distribution of the remaining 300,000 Random House books earmarked for the Book Donation Campaign. Schools, libraries and organizations interested in obtaining books available through the Campaign are encouraged to register online at www.firstbook.org/register.

August 25, 2008