Book Rich Environments is a tri-sector collaboration between nonprofit organizations, national government agencies, and corporate publishers that aims to infuse public housing communities across the country with a vibrant and accessible culture of books. The initiative connects families living in public housing communities with reading-related resources, working to improve opportunities and outcomes for public housing residents.

National Book Foundation serves as the project lead, with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Education, the Urban Libraries Council, and the National Center for Families Learning serving as key planning partners. Over 40 HUD-assisted communities across the country serve as local partners, implementing the following three key initiative components:

Book Distribution – free, high quality, diverse books provided to children and families living in HUD-assisted housing.

– free, high quality, diverse books provided to children and families living in HUD-assisted housing. Library Engagement – young people and families engaged in the love of reading and connected with the ongoing literacy activities offered by the local public library.

– young people and families engaged in the love of reading and connected with the ongoing literacy activities offered by the local public library. Partnership Building – strategic partnerships on the local level, established between the local public housing authority, the local library, and local literacy partners to develop and deliver ongoing community and educational programming.

The program has been made possible through the generous book donations provided by: Candlewick Press, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks.

For more details, email Deputy Director, Jordan Smith.