The National Book Access Association (NBAA) closed out 2024 with a successful and energizing Annual Meeting, bringing together over 50 book access champions from across the country. This meeting served as an opportunity to reflect on the year’s accomplishments, welcome new leadership, and engage in meaningful discussions about NBAA’s future priorities.
Strengthening NBAA’s Leadership Team
In 2024, NBAA made a critical step forward by bringing on Emily McMahan as Administrative Coordinator. Since joining in July, Emily has played an essential role in supporting the organization’s membership management, website updates, external communications, newsletters, and general operations. Her work has helped streamline processes and improve outreach to current and prospective members. Her addition marks an important milestone in NBAA’s ability to sustain and grow as a national network.
The meeting also reaffirmed the leadership of our dedicated Steering Committee, which will continue guiding NBAA into 2025:
2025 NBAA Steering Committee
Steering Committee Leadership:
- President: Emily Ball Cicchini, PhD, Executive Director, BookSpring
- Vice President: Kayla Hand, Executive Director, Books Between Kids
- Treasurer: Mark Feiring, Executive Director, Maryland Book Bank
- Secretary: Rowan Childs, Executive Director, Madison Reading Project
Working Group Leaders:
- Communications: Aarika Riddle, Executive Director, Kristi Yamaguchi's Always Dream
- Conference: Kelly Cates, Executive Director, Promising Pages
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Membership:
- Elizabeth Dragga, Founder/Executive Director, The Book Truck
- Jill Gonzales, Executive Director, Women's Storybook Project of Texas
- Fundraising: Angie Miller, Executive Director, Dibs for Kids
At-Large Members:
- Samantha Hagen Lingad, Vice President of Programs, United Through Reading
- Eileen Minogue, Executive Director, Book Fairies
- Michael Shipley, Executive Director, Book Book Go
With this strong leadership team and the added administrative support of Emily McMahan, NBAA is poised for a productive and impactful 2025.
Breakout Discussions: Key Themes and Priorities for 2025
During the meeting, members participated in breakout discussions designed to explore how NBAA can further support book access organizations. These conversations centered around three key questions:
- How can you personally support NBAA?
- What is the most impactful thing you’ve learned from your NBAA membership?
- What resources (beyond money and books) would most help your organization thrive?
The responses surfaced several important priorities for the upcoming year:
1. Strengthening Advocacy Through Data & Research
Many members emphasized the need for updated research on book access and childhood literacy to better advocate for funding and policy support. A comparison was made to the early days of food banks, which successfully used research to establish stable public funding.
Key areas of focus include:
- Commissioning new studies on the long-term impact of book ownership.
- Gathering statewide and national data on book deserts and literacy gaps.
- Developing advocacy tools to strengthen funding appeals at the local, state, and national levels.
2. Expanding Parent & Caregiver Engagement
A recurring concern was the gap between parental awareness and action regarding early literacy. While many parents recognize the importance of reading, fewer consistently engage in reading with their children.
Ideas for NBAA’s role in this area include:
- Best practices for parent outreach and engagement.
- Behavioral strategies to encourage more at-home reading.
- Webinars or workshops focused on successful parent literacy programs.
3. Regional Collaboration & Networking
While NBAA is a national organization, many members expressed interest in developing more regional connections to better share resources and funding opportunities.
Potential regional initiatives could include:
- State-level networking groups for local book access organizations.
- Sharing state-specific funding opportunities and grant leads.
- Collaborative advocacy for literacy policy at the regional level.
4. Enhancing Volunteer & Technology Resources
With many member organizations operating on lean budgets and small teams, there was strong interest in identifying ways to optimize resources.
Potential solutions include:
- Technology tools to automate administrative tasks and streamline operations.
- Strategies for volunteer recruitment and management.
- More “office hours” and networking sessions for peer-to-peer support and problem-solving.
Looking Ahead to 2025
The ideas shared in this meeting will help shape NBAA’s programming, webinars, and conference content in the coming year.
Some upcoming initiatives include:
- NBAA Annual Conference – Sessions covering book management, fundraising, event planning, marketing, and volunteer management.
- Affinity Group Meetings – Focused discussions for leadership, fundraising, and program development.
- Grant & Funding Support – Expanding access to funding leads and exclusive book discounts.
With a strong leadership team, expanded administrative support, and clear priorities from our members, NBAA is committed to collaboration, innovation, and collective action to ensure every child has access to books.
Interested in joining NBAA or learning more about how we support book access organizations? Visit the Join Us page to connect with us today!
