SUBJ: DISCONTINUATION OF PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN COAST GUARD AND FIRST
BOOK
1. THE COAST GUARD AND FIRST BOOK BEGAN THEIR FORMAL RELATIONSHIP
IN 2000.  AT THAT TIME, FIRST BOOK WAS A RELATIVELY NEW
ORGANIZATION RELYING ON DONATIONS OF BOOKS FROM PUBLISHERS,
AND DONATED VOLUNTEER TIME AND STORAGE SPACE.
2. SINCE 2000, FIRST BOOK HAS EXPANDED DRAMATICALLY. A KEY DRIVER
OF THIS GROWTH WAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FIRST BOOK MARKETPLACE
(FBMP).
3. FOR THE COAST GUARD, THE RELEVANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRST
BOOKS CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL FOCUSING ON FBMP AND THEIR ORIGINAL
ONE UNDER THE FIRST BOOK NATIONAL BOOK BANK IS THE FACT THAT MANY
BOOKS ARE NOW SOLD, NOT GIVEN AWAY.
4. THE CURRENT BUSINESS MODEL AND FIRST BOOKS INTENT TO BEGIN
INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS PROHIBIT THE COAST GUARD FROM CONTINUING
OUR RELATIONSHIP.
5. WHILE CONTINUED OFFICIAL COAST GUARD SUPPORT FOR FIRST BOOK IS
NOT POSSIBLE, THE COAST GUARD HAS NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR FIRST
BOOK, ITS MISSION AND THE INNOVATIVE, AMBITIOUS, AND SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS PRACTICES THAT HAVE ALLOWED IT TO GROW. THE DIRECTORATE OF
GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS IS THANKFUL TO THE MANY COAST GUARD
UNITS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FIRST BOOK DURING
THE LAST NINE YEARS. YOUR EFFORTS HAVE HELPED CREATE A VIBRANT
ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO CHILDREN AND LITERACY WORLDWIDE.
6. POC IS COMDT(CG-09223), NATALIE GRANGER AT (202) 372-4640, OR E-
MAIL: NATALIE.S.GRANGER(AT)USCG.MIL.
7. RDML MARY E. LANDRY, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AND PUBLIC
AFFAIRS, SENDS.
8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.