ALTAFF and Nordstrom award 10 matching Books for Babies grants
Contact: Beth Nawalinski
Director of Marketing & Communications
ALTAFF
312-280-2161
NEWS
For Immediate Release
May 26, 2009
PHILADELPHIA –Â In partnership with Nordstrom, the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations (ALTAFF), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), has awarded 10 grants for $500 each to match $1,000 raised by selected Friends of the Library groups, women’s groups, libraries and other non-profit organizations for purchasing Books for Babies kits from ALTAFF. A total of 2,025 English kits and 325 Spanish kits will be distributed to parents of newborns through these grants.
The 10 grant recipients include:
- Impact Services Corporation, a non-profit community service organization in Philadelphia, Pa.
- Clay County Public Library, Manchester, Ky.
- Read Aloud Loveland, Loveland, Colo.
- Western Pocono Community Library, Brodheadsville, Pa.
- Fullerton Public Library, Fullerton, Calif.
- Jay County Public Library and the Friends of the Library, Portland, Ind.
- Friends of the Lawrence County Public Library, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.
- New Friends of the Beaverton City Library, Beaverton, Ore.
- Friends of the Hillsborough Public Library, Hillsborough, N.J.
- Friends of the Bristol Public Library, Bristol, Conn.
Books for Babies is a national literacy program that acquaints parents of newborns with the important role they play in the development of their children. Parents are presented with a Books for Babies kit containing a board book for baby, baby’s first library card and a variety of brochures with reading tips and early literacy information from nationally recognized educational organizations. Organizations such as Friends of the library groups, women’s clubs and junior leagues purchase Books for Babies packets. Groups often supplement the packets with information about local resources, including library locations and contact information, as well as details about lapsit and preschool story hours.
In 2008, more than 5,000 Books for Babies kits were distributed to newborns and their parents through a year-long partnership with Nordstrom, one of the nation’s leading fashion specialty retailers with 159 stores located in 28 states. The early childhood literacy kits were purchased by 20 organizations across the country that received matching grants through a $10,000 donation given in conjunction with the publication of Nordstrom’s first book, “Once Upon a Holiday the Moon Fell Out of the Sky.” The program was so successful that Nordstrom donated another $10,000 to continue the matching grants for 2009.
An additional 10 matching grants will be awarded in October with an application deadline of Oct. 1. More information and the application form can be found online at
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/outreach/booksforbabies/matchinggrants.cfm. Any type of non-profit organization with a current program or interested in starting a Books for Babies program is encouraged to apply.
ALTAFF is a division of ALA with approximately 5,000 Friends of Library, Trustee, Foundation and individual members and affiliates representing hundreds of thousands of library supporters. Begun in early 2009 with the merger of Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) and ALTA, the new division brings together Trustees and Friends into a partnership that unites the voices of citizens who support libraries to create a powerful force for libraries in the 21st Century. For more information about ALTAFF, please contact Beth Nawalinski at (312) 280-2161or
bnawalinski@ala.org.
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