How does it work?

• Come to the Deming Library to sign up your child for a First 500 subscription and choose your pickup day.
• Every week on that day you swing by the library to pick up a bag of picture books prepared for you by library staff and bring back books from last week.
• You can pause your subscription if you need to miss a pickup.
  We’ll pause it for you if you miss three weeks in a row. It’s easy to start up again, either way! At 100, 250 and 500 book milestones we will celebrate your child’s achievement!
• We’ll pause it for you if you miss three weeks in a row. It’s easy to start up again, either way!

Note: At this time, the subscription program is in a pilot phase for families able to pick up at the Deming Library.

Does it cost anything?

It’s free! We won’t charge overdue fees or bills, and we will forgive up to 10 lost or damaged books.

What if my child can’t read yet?

First 500 is a great way to practice! Each week’s books will include a wide variety to interest your child. Read and discuss the books together and encourage your child to browse independently. Talking about what is happening in the pictures helps children build their language skills and fuels their curiosity.

Do we have to read all the books?

If your child isn’t interested in all the books every week, focus on the ones they like and read them over and over. Repetition is great for learning.

Do I have to check the books out when I pick up my bag?

No. The bag will be ready to grab and go.

What if we can’t pick up books one day?

No problem. Your books will be available for two days after your pickup day. If you still can’t make it, we will check your books back in and make you a new bag next week. (We appreciate a call if you can’t make it, though.) If you miss three weeks in a row, we will pause your account until you are ready to get started again.

What if we are going to be gone for several weeks?

We can pause your subscription while you’re gone. Just give the library a call and tell staff when you’ll be away.

What if we lose or damage books?

No worries! We know that picture books sometimes come back to the library extra-loved, so we will forgive up to 10 lost or damaged books during the subscription.

Can I have a subscription for my older child or baby?

Children of any age are welcome to sign up, but subscriptions are only available for picture books. At this time, we are not offering board book, chapter book, tween or teen book subscriptions.

Can I use the subscription to check out other library items?

The library has all kinds of neat things to check out besides picture books, including graphic novels, DVDs, board games, video games, American Girl dolls and more. To access these materials, we encourage you to get a regular library account, which lets you check out anything in the system.

Can I use the online catalog to request specific books for my child’s subscription?

The subscription does not allow requests for specific books. We encourage you to sign up for a regular library account so you can request any item in the system.

What if my child already has a library card?

No problem! Your First 500 subscription will be separate from that card. You can have both.

Can we request certain categories of picture books?

We can’t support custom requests for our subscriptions. The program is designed to expose your child to a huge range of styles, topics and stories. That’s key to the learning. However, you are welcome to take a look at the books in your bag each week. If you prefer not to bring some of them home, just leave them at the main desk and staff will check them back in. If you want to swap in some other picture books, bring those to the desk and staff will add them to your subscription.

Can we pick up books at a different library?

At present, we are only offering First 500 at the Deming Library. We expect to begin offering it at all Whatcom County Library locations in the fall of 2025.

Can we pick up every other week?

At present, we only support weekly pickups, but this may be something we adjust in the future.

Can you remind us when we have a bag to pick up?

Absolutely. You can sign up for text or email reminders that will let you know:

• When a bag will be ready to pick up
  
• If you have 20 or more books out. (The subscription pauses when 30 are out)
  
• If you have 30 books out and your subscription is paused
  
• If your subscription is suspended after three weeks without pickup and what to do to get started again

How do we know what picture books we have at home?

You’ll get a printed list of the books included in every bag. And you can always contact the library for a complete list of all of the First 500 books you have at home.

What happens when we reach 500 books?

When your child reaches 500 books, we will invite you to the library for an award, including a picture of your child holding a looooong list of all 500 books in a frame that you can take home. We want to show your child how proud we are of their accomplishment and how much we love our community’s youngest readers.

Can we keep going after we hit 500?

Definitely! You can subscribe as long as your child loves to read picture books.