- Masks are required on high traffic days: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays.
- Masks are strongly encouraged on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays. Read more about our Covid Policy.
- We are closed on Mondays, but offer curbside pickup on Mondays from 11 am to 5 pm.
- Interested in a private shopping appointment? Find out more HERE.
Women & Children First is thrilled to partner with and support schools throughout the Chicagoland area on author visits, fundraisers, bulk orders, and more! All can be tailored to your school’s resources and needs. Read more about the possibilities for partnerships below.
If your school is interested in working with Women & Children First or you have specific questions about partnership possibilities, please reach out to our Outreach & Sales Liaison at karlee@womenandchildrenfirst.com
AUTHOR VISIT FAQs
Q. We are interested in having an author visit! What should we do?
We love to bring authors to schools because it promotes literacy, builds connections for students and it is FUN! Please reach out to our Outreach & Sales Liaison at karlee@womenandchildrenfirst.com with your school name, the student age-range or grade levels and who the best contact is. We will reach out to see your availability as opportunities become available!
Q. Is there a fee associated with hosting a school author visit?
There is no associated fee/price with having an author visit at your school. We do ask that you send out an optional order form for the book to students' families and to teachers in case they are interested in purchasing the book (we will create the form for you). The books would be personalized and signed by the author on the day of the visit. Students would also be able to pre-order the book on our website.
Q. How should we prepare for an author visit?
Author visits are a lot of fun, especially when the students are prepared and excited in advance of the presentation. Reading from the author’s upcoming book or talking about previous books allows for students to get excited. Preparing questions in advance is also a great way to get students thinking ahead of the visit.
Q. What does a typical author visit look like?
Once the visit details have been agreed upon, you will receive an outlined schedule for the author visit. Typically, the author and a bookseller from Women & Children First will arrive a half hour before the scheduled visit to check in and prepare their presentation. Technology or materials needed differ on a case by case basis but we will work with you to make sure the visit is smooth. The author will generally present about themselves and their creative process, read from their newest book and take questions from students. From experience, students LOVE a chance to talk with these amazing presenters! When time allows, the author will sign and personalize the pre-ordered books for students to be distributed by the teachers/school at their convenience.
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP FAQs
Q. Is there a discount for educators at Women & Children First?
Yes! We offer all educators a 10% discount every day. All you need to do is mention the discount at the register and show a valid school ID or other proof of educator status.
Q. Does Women & Children First host any special events for educators?
We are working on planning our first educator night for Fall of 2020! Stay tuned!
Q. My class would love to visit the store, is that possible?
Yes, we’re happy to organize class visits upon request, during which students can get a tour of our store and talk with our owners or booksellers. We tailor visits to the needs of your group.
Q. Does Women & Children First work with schools on large orders?
Absolutely! We can often provide discounts for bulk orders as well. Discounts vary on a case by case basis. We are able to factor in tax exemption status. We are currently a CPS Vendor. For more information about bulk orders, please see our FAQs HERE or reach out to wcfbookorders@gmail.com.
Q. Do you host fundraisers or book drives?
Yes! Part of our mission is to support schools and literacy programs. For a typical in-store fundraiser at W&CF, we donate a portion of sales from every purchase made under your organization’s name. In the past, we have also collaborated to host a story time with a teacher from the school and displayed books on teachers' wishlists for purchase. We would love to discuss tailoring a fundraiser and/or book drive to your organization’s needs!
Q. We have a required reading list for our school. Is it possible for students to get these books from W&CF?
We accept reading lists from schools within a close proximity of the store. Teachers/schools should reach out to wcfbookorders@gmail.com to register their lists with W&CF. We will create an online page for ordering as well as stocking the titles in store. We recommend reaching out to us at least four weeks before the lists are sent out to students. We have also partnered on course lists for college and university classes.