Imagination Library

Program Information

United Way of Southwest Minnesota sponsors the Imagination Library program for people who live in our service area.  To participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in this area of southwest Minnesota, families must live in one of the following school districts:  Balaton, Canby, Lake Benton, Lakeview, Lincoln-Hendricks-Ivanhoe, Lynd, Marshall, Milroy, Minneota, Murray County Central, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Tracy, Walnut Grove-Westbrook, or Yellow Medicine East.  Private and charter schools are included.

 

How We're Helping

Educators have emphasized the fact that reading with a preschool child is the single most important activity to help prepare a child for school.  The Dolly Parton Imagination Library was created to guarantee access to books and to inspire parents to read to their children as much possible.

 

United Way of Southwest Minnesota is sponsoring Imagination Library in this area so that every child (ages birth - 5th years old) who is enrolled will receive an age and developmentally appropriate book each month at home.  The books are free for each child and every child is included as long as they live within one of the school districts within our service area.

The Challenge: Children who start school behind typically stay behind.  If a child is a poor reading in first grade, there's a 90 percent chance he or she will still be a poor reading in fourth grade.

United Way of Southwest Minnesota is helping:

• In October, 2005, 244 pre-school children in this area received their very first Dolly Parton Imagination Library book through the program sponsorship by United Way of Southwest Minnesota.
• From October 2005 through October 2010  5,214 local children have received 127,402 quality books in the mail.
• In those same five years, donors to United Way of Southwest Minnesota invested $318,505 into the future of young children in this area through the sponsorship of the Imagination Library program.
• As of October, 2010  1,938 children in this area have graduated from the Imagination Library program and received their final book, "Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come."
• Educators emphasize that reading with young children is one of the most important activities to prepare them for kindergarten and success in school.

Why does it matter?  It all comes down to the ABCs -

A child deserves to be prepared:  Educators emphasize that reading with your preschool child(ren) is one of the most important activities to prepare them for success in kindergarten.

Books are essential:  Studies by the National Assessment of Education Progrss organization have consistently found that the more reading material available in the home, the better students' reading levels are likely to be.

Cost of children not being prepared:  According to Wilder Research, in Minnesota the cost of children entering kindergarten unprepared is approximately $113 million annually to school systems due to increased:

• Student aid 
• Special education and grade repetition
• Teacher related costs
• Impact on school safety due to delinquent behavior

 

TAKE ACTION:  Pledge to read to a child this month - Click here to let us know you will!

Read what local parents and families have to say about the Imagination Library program - CLICK HERE.