Sustaining Council

Investing in the Science, History, and Future of Book Access

The Sustaining Council of the National Book Access Association is a distinguished group of individuals, foundations, companies, and organizations who believe deeply in the necessity, impact, and legacy of book access work.

Sustaining Council members understand that books in the home, books in the community, and books in the hands of children are not simply charitable gifts. They are part of a long-standing, evidence-informed movement to support language development, family connection, literacy equity, school readiness, and lifelong learning.

For generations, book access organizations have worked at the intersection of education, public health, family engagement, libraries, publishing, philanthropy, and community development. The

Sustaining Council helps ensure that this field is recognized, studied, strengthened, and carried forward.

Why Book Access Matters

Children’s access to books is closely connected to early language exposure, reading motivation, caregiver-child interaction, vocabulary growth, and long-term educational opportunity. Yet many families and communities continue to face barriers to owning and accessing high-quality, age-appropriate, culturally relevant books.

Book access work responds to this need through community-based systems: book banks, pediatric clinics, early childhood programs, schools, libraries, family literacy initiatives, mobile distributions, home libraries, and neighborhood partnerships. These efforts are practical, relational, and deeply rooted in the belief that every child deserves to grow up surrounded by books and stories.

Honoring a National Legacy

The book access movement has a rich history shaped by educators, librarians, pediatricians, researchers, volunteers, publishers, nonprofit leaders, parents, and community advocates. From early reading promotion and public library outreach to modern book banks, family literacy networks, and digital access initiatives, this field has grown through decades of local leadership and shared commitment.

Sustaining Council members help NBAA preserve and advance this legacy by supporting the national infrastructure needed to connect organizations, document effective practices, elevate research, share knowledge, and strengthen the future of book access across the United States.

Strengthening the Field

Participation in the Sustaining Council begins with a $10,000 annual commitment that supports NBAA’s long-term field-building role. This includes national convening, research and learning, peer exchange, capacity-building, advocacy, shared leadership, and deeper collaboration among book access organizations.

Sustaining Council members make it possible for NBAA to support the organizations doing this work every day: the book banks collecting and distributing books, the nonprofits building home libraries, the clinics integrating books into pediatric care, the educators engaging families, the community partners reaching children where they are, and the leaders building sustainable systems for book access.

Sustaining Council Recognition and Engagement

Sustaining Council members receive meaningful recognition and opportunities for deeper engagement with the national book access field.

Benefits may include:

Additional Engagement Opportunities

Organizations and individuals interested in a greater level of commitment may explore additional engagement opportunities with NBAA through the Sustaining Council. These may include special project support, conference sponsorship, research partnerships, field-building investments, regional convenings, leadership initiatives, or other customized collaborations aligned with NBAA’s mission and national network.

These opportunities are especially well suited for partners who want to help advance the science, visibility, sustainability, and shared history of book access work while building authentic relationships with the organizations leading this movement in communities across the country.

Join the Sustaining Council

Sustaining Council members help ensure that book access work is not treated as a temporary intervention, but as an essential part of the national literacy ecosystem. By investing in NBAA, Sustaining Council members support the people, programs, research, and relationships that make it possible for children and families to experience the power of books for generations to come. 

We encourage you to reach out to us at hello@nationalbookaccess.org to find out if this opportunity is right for you or your organizations.