Site Menu
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Greater Hartford |
| Literacy Council |
| One Union Place |
| Hartford, CT 06103 |
| |
(860) 522- 7323
or
(860) 522- READ |
|
|
|
How to Qualify for Books
» Frequently Asked Questions
There are three ways that literacy programs can receive books through Books at Home. They each have their own eligibility requirements, application process, and timeline.
- Literacy Council Book Distribution
- First Book Grant
- First Book National Book Bank
1. Literacy Council Book Distribution
The Greater Hartford Literacy Council, through community book drive donations and our affiliation with Literacy USA and Scholastic Books, holds an annual book distribution in the summer to member literacy providers. The books are given to programs who distribute them to parents to encourage reading to their children, to children who may not know what it is like to have a book of their own, and to pediatricians to hand out at well-child visits to stress the importance of reading to one's overall health.
To be eligible, organizations applying for books from a Literacy Council Book Distribution are required to:
- Provide some type of literacy service in Greater Hartford.
- Be an organizational member of the Literacy Council.
- Complete a Literacy Council Book Survey by the due date.
Use of Books:
-
Books are primarily intended for one of two purposes:
- To go home with children or parents to foster reading and build home libraries.
- To be used in a classroom or other instructional setting as part of a curriculum (and sent home with the participants upon completion of study).
- Some of the books may be permanently kept in a school, classroom, or library.
Procedures:
- Become an organizational member of the Literacy Council by calling (860) 522-7323 for a membership packet or click on "Become a Member".
- Complete a Literacy Council Books Survey annually to let us know about your need for books.
- The Literacy Council will notify programs regarding the approximate distribution date within a month of the distribution of books (generally in the summer).
- Because the demand for books often exceeds the number of books available, there is no guarantee that an organization will receive books through a Literacy Council distribution.
The Greater Hartford Literacy Council is the regional coordinator for the National First Book program. The Literacy Council raises funds to support First Book grants. As funds are available, grants will be awarded to member literacy programs that serve children in need. Through the grant, eligible programs select books equaling their grant amount from the First Book catalog. The books are given to children to develop their own home libraries.
To be eligible, organizations applying for books from First Book are required to:
- Provide some type of literacy service in Greater Hartford.
- Be an organizational member of the Literacy Council.
- Complete a Literacy Council Book Survey annually.
- Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status or a Title I school .
- Provide services to children and families from low-income households (at least 80% of participants must be from low-income households).
- Provide multiple book distributions to each child in the program.
- Support the child's ongoing education outside of the school classroom setting. (Schools are not eligible to receive a grant unless they are a Title I school and the books will go home with the children).
Use of Books:
-
First Book books are intended for one purpose:
- To be used in a program or activity and then sent home with children or parents to foster reading and build home libraries.
- Books may not be permanently kept in a school, classroom, or library.
- Programs are expected to distribute the books to the children at least every 6-8 weeks. The goal is that during a year-long program, each child should receive one book per month for twelve months, in a summer program, each child should receive one book per week. (It is recognized that transitional programs such as shelters will conduct regular book distributions to a changing population.)
Procedures:
- Become an organizational member of the Literacy Council by calling (860) 522-7323 for a membership packet or click on "Become a Member".
- Complete a Literacy Council Books Survey annually to let us know about your need for books.
- The Literacy Council will notify programs regarding the availability of First Book grant funds. Programs will be directed to submit an application for books at that time.
- Approved grantees will be notified of a book grant by the Literacy Council and National First Book. They will receive a catalog and information on how to order books. Selected books will be shipped free of cost directly to the program.
- Grantee must complete a Mid-Year Report to demonstrate proper use of funds.
- Because the demand for books often exceeds the amount of funding available, there is no guarantee that an organization will receive books through a First Book distribution.
3. First Book National Book Bank
Founded to utilize the large volume of children's books publishers generously offer First Book for donation each year, the First Book National Book Bank (FBNBB) delivers books through First Book's established supply pipeline to children from low-income families across the country. The FBNBB travels periodically across the country to set up one or two-day distributions. Recipient groups can either pick up books in person or pay to have them shipped. Titles are limited. Notice of distributions is often short and the pick-up of books may be complicated by the fact that the nearest distribution site may or may not be in or near the Greater Hartford area.
To be eligible, organizations applying for books from FBNBB are required to:
- Be a nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) status or Title I school.
- Provide services to children and families from low-income households (at least 80% of participants must be from low-income households).
- Register with the National Book Bank (cannot receive books without registering online in advance of a distribution).
-
In addition:
- Organizations need not be a Literacy Council member to receive these books.
- Title I schools are eligible to receive books from the FBNBB.
Use of Books:
-
These books are intended for one purpose:
- To go home with children or parents to foster reading and build home libraries.
- Books may not be permanently kept in a school, classroom, or library.
Procedures:
-
Register with the National Book Bank. Go to www.nationalbookbank.org, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click on the button that says "Log In to Begin".
- Registering does not mean that you are guaranteed books from the FBNBB or that you are getting books from the FBNBB, it means that you will receive an e-mail or fax notification when an application for a specific distribution becomes available. (After registering, check for applications that are already open and available.)
- Once you receive an e-mail or fax notification that a distribution's application is open and online, you then have to go to the website and apply for books from the FBNBB. Books are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so as quickly as possible after you receive the notification announcing the distribution, go to the website to fill out the application.
- Recipient Groups may receive three books per child served per year and are only eligible for one distribution per calendar year.
- Recipient groups pick up books or pay to have them shipped. (The books are free. If a program would like their books shipped directly to them, the cost is $.25 per book.)
|
|
