Imagination Library: preparing today's youth for tomorrow's success

Impact Spotlight

Imagination Library

Jan. 19, 2022

United Way of Racine County's Imagination Library program provides registered Racine County children under age five with a book in the mail per month at no cost to the household. Books are carefully selected to be high-quality and age-appropriate. 

What issue or problem is Imagination Library designed to help/figure out/make better?

A child stands next to a book he's been reading

Imagination Library helps Racine County’s youngest learners build a home library by mailing one book per month to their homes from the time they enroll until the time they turn five. In doing so, children benefit from living in a print-rich environment and spend more time looking at books both independently and while reading with parents and caregivers.

What does United Way/Imagination Library do (overarchingly and on a daily basis)?

United Way of Racine County fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community. Learning begins the moment a child is born, and parents and caregivers are a child's first teacher. Imagination Library supports parents and caregivers in this role by providing them with the tools (books) they need to help their child succeed and be ready for kindergarten.

What is Imagination Library's impact?

Imagination Library currently has 5,546 children enrolled. Since 2009, the program has had 6,837 graduates and has mailed 345,298 books. In 2021 alone, the program provided 7,267 children with 68,725 books. When children graduate from the program, parents/caregivers are invited to fill out an option survey. In 2021, 91 percent of of parents/caregivers reported reading most days (5-7 times per week) with their children and that their children spend more time looking at books on their own. Seventy-three percent of parents/caregivers reported that their children showed more interest in reading, asked to be read to more frequently and, in general, are better prepared for kindergarten.

According to one parent, "[Imagination Library] has given us an opportunity to spend one-on-one time where [our daughter] felt special. It was exciting for her to get her own mail and that it was a book brought her so much joy and excitement."

What does the future look like for Imagination Library? How do you envision your organization changing or growing to remain impactful and relevant over the next 10 years?

We will continue to offer Imagination Library because it is an important investment in our children, and our community's future. Literacy is key to the academic success of our students and to the economic success of Racine County. Imagination Library is a meaningful and impactful way to support the literacy development of our community's youngest learners.

 

Jessica Safransky Schacht is the Chief Operating Officer for United Way of Racine County.