December 6 , 2005

Borders Group and First Book Working Together to Get Books to Children in Need

Houston, TX, Dec. 6 , 2005-First Book, an award-winning national nonprofit organization that has provided more than 35 million books to children in need, has teamed with Borders, Inc. and Walden Book Company, Inc., subsidiaries of Borders Group, Inc., a global retailer of books, music and movies with more than 1,200 stores, to get books to children in need.

Now through Dec. 15, customers in all Borders and Waldenbooks stores* are being encouraged to donate $1, $3, $5 or more to First Book as they make their holiday purchases.  Borders Group initiated the giving campaign with a $50,000 commitment to First Book and is encouraging customers to participate. One hundred percent of funds raised will be converted to gift cards and distributed to various local community recipient organizations affiliated with First Book to spend on books for the children they serve.  Organizations affiliated with First Book provide assistance to low-income children and include Head Start centers, libraries, soup kitchens, housing projects, and after-school programs, among others.

“Our customers, who share the same passion we do for books and for reading, are responding generously to this program” said Cullen Graff, District Marketing Manager for Borders in south Texas.  “Millions of Americans are currently living below the poverty line, and nearly two thirds of low-income families have no books for their children to read.  Every child deserves to read and own books because they can delight, inspire and educate.  Through this program with First Book, Borders Group is offering our customers a simple way to make a difference for children this holiday season.”

The First Book spokesperson for the holiday giving campaign is author, educator and civil rights icon Ruby Bridges, who at the age of six was the first African-American to desegregate a U.S. elementary school.  During her first challenging year at the school-William Frantz Elementary in New Orleans-she developed a special relationship with books through the kindness of an anonymous donor who each month sent Ms. Bridges a new Dr. Seuss title.   Through the years, she developed a passion for reading and works now with First Book to help economically disadvantaged children across the U.S. develop their own special relationships with books.

“I learned at a very early age how important books are and the joy and hope they bring to a child’s life,” said Ruby Bridges.  “It is important to have Borders Group, a company committed to books and literacy, partner with First Book to bring attention to the wonderful work that they do to get new books into the hands of needy, young children.  These children deserve to receive the same care and kindness I received as a child.  I am glad that Borders and First Book are working together to bring the wonder and magic of reading to children’s lives.”

To donate to First Book and help low income children continue to receive books, visit a Borders or Waldenbooks store and let the cashier know that you want to help.

About First Book
First Book is a national nonprofit organization that gives children in need the opportunity to read and own their first new books.  In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective community based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials.  The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first and only centralized system that enables publishers to donate books and educational materials online to reach millions of children who need them the most.  First Book has distributed more than 35 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide.  To learn more about First Book, please visit www.firstbook.org.

About Borders Group, Inc.
Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading global retailer of books, music and movies with 2004 revenues of $3.9 billion.  Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., the company employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide.  Borders Group operates more than 470 Borders superstores and approximately 650 Waldenbooks stores throughout the U.S.  In addition, the company operates over 50 Borders superstores outside the U.S., as well as 33 Books etc. stores located throughout Great Britain.  Borders Group has also acquired Paperchase Products Limited, a leading stationery retailer based in London, England with more than 70 locations in the U.K.  Teamed with Amazon.com, online shopping is available through Borders.com (www.borders.com) and Waldenbooks.com (www.waldenbooks.com). More detailed information on the company is available at www.bordersgroupinc.com. Information regarding Borders store locations, in-store events and title reservation is available through www.bordersstores.com.

*Borders and Waldenbooks stores in Illinois are not participating in the First Book donation program due to a long-standing donation effort those stores have in place to benefit Illinois Literacy Foundation.