First Book Literacy Initiative

This model development project is examining how to deliver printed and digitally formatted books and other rich interactive educational media through existing distribution channels to low-income and minority children in the United States. The Center has established a partnership with First Book, an internationally acclaimed literacy network of preschool, afterschool and school-based programs that have distributed more than 50 million books in the US. Key partners in the planning are Dr. Allison Druin, whose Human-Computer Interaction Lab at the University of Maryland will conduct research on the project's outcomes and Christopher Cerf of Sirius Thinking Ltd., the noted children's literacy expert and Creative Producer of the Public Broadcasting System's Emmy Award-winning early literacy program, Between the Lions.

The project is testing how digitally formatted books can be disseminated in combination with printed books. A creative "off-price" marketplace that convenes over a dozen educational publishers committed to make excellent educational media available at low cost will be complemented by digital producers who wish to reach low-income households and struggling readers. Cooney Fellow Carly Shuler is conducting an analysis of available, high quality, literacy-focused interactive media to inform the project. The Longview Foundation provides project support.