First Book Advisory Boards are professionalized committees of active volunteers, representing a local community or campus. These volunteers come together at least monthly to function as a local charitable organization representing First Book within their community.

Seeing the excitement of children as they receive their first new books to take home and keep is unforgettable.  Children often get this look of wonder and ask, “Is this for me to keep?”  First Book creates and builds home libraries for children who have no books to call their own.

Through our Advisory Board model, First Book supports the hardest to reach children and elevates the quality of programs that serve them. Comprised of volunteers with distinct roles and objectives, every First Book Advisory Board is assisted and managed as a partnership with the First Book National office by a director or manager within our Community Development department. Your Advisory Board's director or manager will work with you to yield successes within your own community on behalf of First Book's mission and vision.

The goal of establishing an Advisory Board is to unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify community-based literacy organizations that reach children living at or below the poverty line and provide these children with new books to take home free of charge.  Each Advisory Board has 5 core responsibilities:

1. Build an Advisory Board representing a professional and cultural cross-section of its community and fill each Advisory Board leadership role to insure success.
2. Conduct local fundraising efforts to fund local book grants that represent a healthy percentage of needs-bases successes.
3. Identify and connect with a variety of local organizations qualified to register, request and receive books for children birth to 18 years of age.
4. Award book grants to Recipient Groups at least once a year.
5. Promote First Book education, advocacy and partnerships locally and nationally.

“I’m interested, but where do I fit in?” This is an important question in the life of a volunteer with First Book. 

The Advisory Board is comprised of several leadership roles and general board members.  Leadership roles range from Chair to Fundraising Chair, Secretary to Treasurer, Communications Chair to Outreach Chair and a few others.  Each leadership position is designed to help give the individual volunteer sense of purpose and service while providing the Advisory Board with the required management and mission-driven purpose.  General board positions do not take specific leadership roles, but serve on the board, help to perform monthly functions, advocate and education the community individually and offer committee-style or individual support to the leaders of the Advisory Board.

What would I do as an Advisory Board member?  While Leadership roles have actual position descriptions and responsibilities, there are some typical obligations and functions that an Advisory Board member might perform:

• Plan events in your local community to raise money and inform people about First Book
• Seek donations from foundations, local businesses and individuals
• Select programs in your community to receive books
• Increase awareness of First Book by publicizing your Advisory Board to the community and to the local media
• Attend regular Advisory Board meetings

Is there an advisory board in my community? Perhaps, with over 150 Advisory Boards in the United States you might already be within reach of a local Advisory Board to join.

• View a map of all First Book Advisory Boards

I didn't find a local Advisory Board near me. How do I start a new Advisory Board in my community? If there is not an Advisory Board in your community and you would like to bring one to your area, we provide resources to help get you started.

• Learn more about starting an Advisory Board

How Else Can I Get Involved with First Book in My Community?

• Tell organizations in your community that serve low-income children to register with First Book and receive books.
• Donate to your community's Advisory Board, either by contributing money or making an in-kind donation.

View the award-winning recruiting video, There's a Place for You.  Listen to Advisory Board chairs talk about First Book, explain the AB model, and share in the magic of watching children receive their first new books.  This video is very inspiring for new AB members as well as for individuals establishing new First Book Advisory Boards.

To share this video with others, please link directly to There's a Place for You on YouTube.

First Book's Community Development staff and Advisory Board volunteers work together to further the mission of the organization from both a local and national vision. To help outline the breakdown of responsiblities, below are the primary functions of both groups. All levels of Advisory Board volunteers should review these responsibilities and contact First Book staff with any questions.

Q. What is First Book?

Founded in 1992, First Book provides new books to children in need addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books. An innovative leader in social enterprise, First Book has distributed more than 90
million free and low cost books to disadvantaged children and the programs that serve them through an extensive volunteer network, First Book National Book Bank large-scale book distributions, and the First Book Marketplace offering high-quality titles at reduced cost.