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Oregon State University

First Book Oregon State kids

About First Book

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, each year First Book distributes millions of free and low-cost books to disadvantaged children and the programs that serve them.

First Book @ Oregon State University is a program affiliated with the Oregon State BGSA (Black Graduate Student Association).

We are a recently established Campus Advisory Board that was formed in 2009. We seek to serve children who do not have regular access to brand-new books; especially books that they had a hand in selecting. Our belief is that children will be more apt to acquire and retain the love of reading when given books on topics, ideas and characters that interest and/ or relate to them.

That is why the First Book Marketplace is so exciting. The offerings are current titles found in every bookstore. Additionally, many books are available in languages other than English; celebrate multicultural traditions; and are excellent enhancement to any curriculum.

To date we have distributed 1,300 books and are looking forward to meeting the much larger needs of the community.

Book Grant Recipients

Is your organization in need of books for the children you serve?  We accept grant applications in September, January and April. Our grant application and guidelines are in the How to Receive Books section of this website.

First Book @ Oregon State has given book grants to many programs throughout Benton County. A typical book grant lasts for a six month period and offers each child in the program a steady diet of books (usually one book per month), all at no cost to the program. Furthermore, the First Book Marketplace allows any number of individual books to be selected, to suit the individual interests of the children served by the program or program administrators can select the titles from the First Book Marketplace. Our book grants enable programs — often for the first time — to select books to integrate into curriculum.

The following are some of the organizations that have received book grants from First Book @ Oregon State, so far:

• Lincoln School Lion’s Den
• Boys and Girls Club (South Corvallis)

Local Sponsors and Donors

Our goal is to distribute books to children in the Linn-Benton County Service Area. You can help us reach this goal. With a $10 donation, we will be able to provide 4 books to establish a child's first home library.

We are able to provide brand-new, high-quality books to children in our community thanks to the generous financial contributions of local businesses and individuals.

• Oregon State University Mortar Board
• D.W. Gore Family Foundation
• Black Graduate Student Association (Oregon State Univ.)
• Corvallis Community members who wish to remain anonymous

First Book Wants You!

We are looking for passionate, entrepreneurial people who want to make a difference in their community. Help us get books to kids who need them most. To learn more about volunteering with First Book @ Oregon State please contact using the link below.

Contact Us

You can contact us by sending an email.