About First Book Canada

Leveling the Educational Playing Field

Education transforms lives. First Book Canada is building a world where every child has access to a quality education. We work to remove barriers to education and level the playing field for kids in need. At the heart of our work are the 20,000 members of the First Book Canada Network, the largest online community of educators and professionals dedicated to children in need across Canada. This Network is the key to creating systemic change. To address their needs, we provide free and low-cost books, resources and access to leading experts. We use aggregated buying power to influence what is published or created to support this underserved community.    
 
Since 2009 First Book Canada has worked with educators and partners to identify and remove the barriers to learning and resources, creating equal access to quality education and transforming the lives of kids in need.  

Our Core Values

Champion of Educators

We are passionate supporters of the educators who serve kids in need. Our First Book Canada Network, a community of more than 18,000 educators and professionals who serve kids in under-resourced communities, has unparalleled knowledge into the educational barriers that confront their students. By researching their needs and challenges, First Book Canada empowers these educators by providing books, resources, and initiatives that are directly informed by their feedback. In this way, educators help shape our resources, partnerships, and strategic solutions. We facilitate the sharing of best practices and expand educators’ access to affordable tools and resources. The result is that our educators are more supported and empowered to better serve their students and communities.

Social Innovation

We pride ourselves on having business minds and non-profit hearts. Using proven private-sector approaches, we design sustainable, system-changing strategies that drive measurable results. We are building a movement using insights and innovative ideas that amplify impact and disrupt the status quo in education.

Eliminating Barriers

First Book Canada is dedicated to breaking down the barriers to educational equity by increasing access to evidence-based best practices, books, and resources in under served communities. 

Purposeful Collaboration

First Book Canada is a bridge-builder, collaborating with public and private partners, translating best-in-class expertise into educational resources to support learning for kids in need. We partner with field experts, publishers, corporations, foundations, fellow nonprofits, leading academics, and individual donors to address the critical needs expressed by educators. These mission-driven alliances enable us to expedite resources to those who need them the most. Our collaborative approach results in a shared social identity and tangible impact, changing the lives of children in need for generations to come.

Our Theory of Change

First Book Canada Network

Comprises Canada’s largest community of educators & non-profit programs working on the frontlines with children in need at schools and programs across Canada.

First Book Canada Marketplace

Provides the First Book Canada Network with 24-hour, year-round access to an award-winning repository of affordable and new books, educational resources curated for kids in need ages 0-18.