Borders Books & Music Teams With the National Basketball Association and Reading Is Fundamental for Gift of Reading Holiday Book Drive.

Business Editors

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 19, 2003

Borders Books & Music(R) customers have the opportunity to share the joy of reading with children across the country this holiday season through the Gift of Reading holiday book drive, sponsored by Borders, the National Basketball Association(R) (NBA) and Reading Is Fundamental(R) (RIF). As part of the book drive, customers may select children's books of their choice from any Borders store between November 20 and December 20, 2003, and contribute them at the time of purchase to a designated local literacy program.

"There is no greater gift than the gift of reading," said Michael Spinozzi, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Borders Group. "Borders is fortunate to collaborate with the NBA and RIF to offer more children the chance to open their hearts and minds to the joys and opportunities reading provides."

Community partners of the NBA's "Read to Achieve" initiative or those organizations who are a part of RIF's nationwide network of literacy programs will receive the books collected as a result of Borders' book drive. The efforts of the NBA and RIF collectively serve more than 50 million children each year.

"The Gift of Reading book drive is a great collaboration for the NBA and Borders, and the result will be that thousands of kids will now have a book to call their own during the holidays," said Kathy Behrens, NBA vice president community relations.

"We are thrilled to join with Borders and the NBA, both long-standing supporters of Reading Is Fundamental, on this important effort to deliver the gift of reading to deserving children and families this holiday season," said Carol Rasco, president and chief executive officer of Reading Is Fundamental.

Donated children's books can be favorite childhood storybooks or, for those needing recommendations, customers can access Borders' holiday gift center at www.bordersstores.com/gifts to view children's titles featured in the 2003 Borders holiday catalog as well as the best titles of 2003, based on sales and critical acclaim.

About Borders Group

Borders Group Inc. (NYSE:BGP) is a leading global retailer of books, music and movies. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., the company employs 32,000 people worldwide and operates over 430 Borders domestic superstores; 37 international Borders stores, located primarily in the U.K. and the Pacific Rim; 36 Books etc. stores throughout Great Britain; and approximately 750 Waldenbooks stores in malls across America. Teamed with Amazon.com, the company also offers online shopping 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.

About the NBA's Read to Achieve

The NBA's Read to Achieve program is a year-round campaign to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read regularly to children. Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports. In addition to being supported by all 29 NBA teams, 16 WNBA teams, the eight teams that make up the NBA's new minor league, the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), Read to Achieve is supported by the NBA's officials, parents and wives of players organizations, and the NBA Players Association and Retired Players Association.

About Reading Is Fundamental

Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) prepares and motivates children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those families who need them most. The oldest and largest children's and family nonprofit literacy organization in the U.S., RIF operates through 435,000 volunteers at 23,000 sites nationwide. RIF programs annually serve 5 million children of all ages, most of whom are at risk of educational failure, with a focus on those from birth to age 11. Supported by the U.S. Department of Education, corporations, foundations, community organizations, and individuals, RIF has provided more than 250 million books for children to choose and keep since its founding in 1966.