Imagination Library Designed to Build Family Literacy and School Readiness

When parents read to young children, when they themselves are readers, and when children learn the joys of reading with their parents, those children are more likely to develop rich vocabularies at an early age. In turn, they are more likely to reach school ready to learn, and to become proficient readers by third or fourth grade. These same children are more likely to succeed in later grades, to graduate on time, and go on to college (Lee and Burkham 2002; Sadowski 2006).

Careful studies that have followed large cohorts of children into adulthood find that reading to young children and maintaining a culture of reading at home are associated with improved school readiness and educational outcomes. These aspects of home life matter even more in fragile families: including families that are led by young, single, and under-educated parents, ethnic and racial minorities (Golova et al 1999), and families with limited English proficiency (Silverstein et al 2002), and families living in poverty (Mendelsohn et al 2001).

Consistent with these findings, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library established the Books From Birth program. Through this initiative, a new, age-appropriate, hardcover book is mailed every month to registered children, from birth until age five, at no cost to the family and regardless of income. The reach of the program is extraordinary: currently,  half of all preschool age children in the state of Tennessee are receiving books through the program. The program is also active in 41 other states and in the District of Columbia.

Preliminary evaluation findings are encouraging: Surveys of kindergarten and pre-kindergarten teachers indicate that children who participate in the program are better prepared for school. Additionally, teachers believe that children who participate in the program are more likely to enjoy reading and learning new stories. While more extensive evaluations of the program's outcomes are underway, these early findings suggest the program is making a difference.

To find out more about the program, and how to enroll and eligible youngster, visit: www.imaginationlibrary.com