Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges Helps First Book(R) and Borders Group Kick Off Holiday Program To Get Books To Kids In Need; Monday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. at Borders, Corner of 18th and L, NW in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON & ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- First Book, an award-winning national nonprofit organization that has provided more than 35 million books to children in need, has teamed with Borders, Inc. and Walden Book Company, Inc., subsidiaries of Borders Group, Inc., a global retailer of books, music and movies with more than 1,200 stores, to launch a new holiday fundraising campaign. The new campaign will be unveiled at a special kick-off event, Monday, Nov. 14 at 10 a.m. in Washington D.C. at the Borders store at 18th and L Streets, NW.

The event will feature author and civil rights icon Ruby Bridges who will read to and talk with dozens of first, second and third grade students from Ross Elementary School in the District of Columbia about the important role books and reading play in their lives. Each child at the event will receive a stack of new books to take home including "Through My Eyes," a book Bridges wrote and will personally sign for children at the event. Bridges became the first African-American to desegregate an elementary school when, in 1960 at the age of six, she attended first grade at the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, an event that was depicted in a famed 1964 Norman Rockwell painting. Bridges is an educator, civil rights icon, author and supporter of First Book, a commitment that grew out of a special relationship she developed with books during her challenging first year at Frantz School. Each month that year, an anonymous donor sent Bridges a new Dr. Seuss book. This kind gesture at a difficult time ignited a love of books that has lasted her entire lifetime.

Bridges will be joined by First Book President Kyle Zimmer, as well as Specialty Retail Senior Vice President Sue Dasse from Borders Group, who will detail the holiday giving campaign, which begins November 15 and runs through December 15 in all Borders and Waldenbooks stores(a) where customers will be encouraged to donate $1, $3, $5 or more to First Book as they make their holiday purchases. Borders Group will initiate the giving campaign with a $50,000 commitment to First Book and will encourage all customers to participate. One hundred percent of funds raised will be converted to gift cards and distributed to local organizations affiliated with First Book to spend on books.

"Borders and Waldenbooks customers have a passion for reading and understand the powerful, life-changing impact that books can have on young people--especially those who are economically disadvantaged and cannot afford to buy their own books," said Zimmer. "Through this program, Borders and Waldenbooks stores will make it easy for shoppers this holiday season to ring up a donation to First Book at the same time they make their gift purchases. We are thrilled to be associated with a retailer that shares our commitment to put books into the hands of needy kids."

"First Book is nationally recognized for its ability to work effectively and creatively within the publishing community and with other organizations to collect and distribute millions of books to children who may not otherwise have access to them," said Dasse. "Being a part of our communities is important to us. We believe that owning your own books and having the opportunity to read them at a young age is essential to the development of every child. This program unites our company and our customers through First Book to make owning books a reality for children in communities all over the U.S."

Media Registration

Bridges, as well as First Book and Borders Group representatives, will be available for interviews and photos/video in conjunction with the kick off event. News media should register in advance for the event with Mary Ann Brownlow of Borders by calling 202-466-2152.

About First Book

First Book is a national nonprofit organization that gives children in need the opportunity to read and own their first new books. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective community based literacy programs reaching children living at or below the poverty line and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first and only centralized system that enables publishers to donate books and educational materials online to reach millions of children who need them the most. First Book has distributed more than 35 million new books to children in need in hundreds of communities nationwide. To learn more about First Book, please visit www.firstbook.org.

About Borders Group, Inc.

Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE:BGP) is a leading global retailer of books, music and movies with 2004 revenues of $3.9 billion. Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., the company employs approximately 34,000 people worldwide. Borders Group operates more than 460 Borders superstores and approximately 650 Waldenbooks stores throughout the U.S. In addition, the company operates over 50 Borders superstores outside the U.S., as well as 33 Books etc. stores located throughout Great Britain. Borders Group has also acquired Paperchase Products Limited, a leading stationery retailer based in London, England with more than 70 locations in the U.K. Teamed with Amazon.com, online shopping is available 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.

(a)Borders and Waldenbooks stores in Illinois are not participating in the First Book donation program due to a long-standing donation effort those stores have in place to benefit Illinois Literacy Foundation.