Idaho Commission for Libraries

Read to Me First Book provides children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. The program provides a book a month for nine months for each participating child, and First Book families can participate in a free early literacy workshop. First Book parents also receive a monthly newsletter, "The Bookworm," which suggests tips and strategies to support early literacy skills at home. In addition to providing children with books, a goal of the Read to Me program is to encourage contact between at-risk families and librarians, in order to promote local library services.

The Idaho Commission for Libraries has participated in the program since 1997. Eight Idaho public libraries participated in the 2007-08 First Book program. With the addition of state funding this year, 25 libraries were selected for the 2008 – 2009 program, bringing the total number of children served to over 2,200. This year applications from three schools, who are partnering with their local libraries, were also accepted. To see a map of all 25 First Book sites, click on the attachment below.

For those libraries interested in becoming a First Book site for 2009 – 2010, application information will be announced in the Scoop, and posted after the first of the year on this website.