The national nonprofits First Book and Little Free Library recently announced a new partnership to expand access to brand-new books for Little Free Library’s book-sharing boxes across the country.
Through the new partnership, announced during the Public Library Association conference in Minneapolis, First Book is creating special book bundles developed for Little Free Library stewards serving under-resourced neighborhoods. Each book bundle, available through the award-winning online First Book Marketplace, will include 25 titles designed to appeal to a wide range of readers, based on readers’ ages, languages, interests, and more. The titles in each bundle will be auto-selected through the First Book Marketplace; Little Free Library stewards will have the option to change the book selections, making the bundles fully customizable with curated, diverse titles that align with the needs and interests of their local community.
Read the full press release here.
This partnership will roll out in three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Book bundles provided to program stewards
April 2026
All Little Free Library program stewards receive a 25-book bundle as a part of their grant package. These curated bundles contain diverse and community relevant titles. There are currently four bundle options: multiage, young readers, English/Spanish, and Indigenous. Through this partnership, all bundles to program stewards will be supplied by First Book. Additionally, stewards eligible for the First Book Marketplace (see below) will be able to browse the bundles and purchase titles from them.
Learn more about the Little Free Library Programs!
Phase 2: Access to the First Book Marketplace for all program stewards
Spring 2026
In addition to receiving a 25-book bundle from First Book, program stewards will have access to the First Book Marketplace, where they can purchase books at a reduced price. Benefits of the First Book Marketplace include low cost brand new books, bulk books from the book bank, and free educational resources.
Phase 3: Access to the First Book Marketplace for all eligible stewards
Summer 2026
Finally, phase three of this partnership will open access to the First Book Marketplace to any Little Free Library steward in the United States or Canada who meets First Book’s eligibility criteria. Eligibility will be determined via steward zip code. Eligible stewards will have access to the First Book Marketplace, where they can purchase books at a reduced price. Eligibility requires that at least 70% of the children served by a Little Free Library fall into one or more of the following categories: students attending Title I–eligible schools, children with disabilities, Indian Education Program beneficiaries, participants in military family support programs, or children impacted by natural or human-caused disasters. Benefits of the First Book Marketplace include low-cost brand new books, bulk books from the book bank, and free educational resources.
Through this partnership, Little Free Library continues our efforts to increase book access to communities where it is needed most!