How can I get involved with the Imagination Library Advisory Board?
We are looking for Advisory Board members who are passionate about the program to support our volunteer efforts to fundraise, recruit new children, build partnerships, and spread the word about the program. If you are interested in joining the Imagination Library Advisory Board or partnering with the program, please email reed@eplfoundation.org.
How do I sign a child up? Can a child enroll if they live outside of Eugene?
With Springfield and rural Lane County having Imagination Library affiliates now, there are more opportunities for children to enroll in the area! To search to see if an address is covered, please use this link for Imagination Library enrollment.
How are books for the program chosen?
Each year, the esteemed Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee, a specially selected panel of early childhood literacy experts, is responsible for reviewing hundreds of potential titles for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library national. The Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee is a part of the Dollywood Foundation in Tennessee and takes great care in choosing books that meet the different needs of children as they progress from birth to age five. This committee select books for all national and international affiliates. All books are published by Penguin Random House. For more information, visit the Imagination Library headquarter’s site.
What is the cost of the program? How much does IL of Eugene need to raise?
Current costs for books and shipping are approximately $7300/month to serve around 3600 children, with an annual cost anticipated to be $90,000. Donors like you raise 100% of the funds for the books and shipping. Eugene Public Library provides in-kind staff time to support enrollment and outreach, while Eugene Public Library Foundation provides in-kind staff time to support outreach and fundraising.
Right now, how do we reach families?
A lot of our program recruitment is word of mouth between families and with younger siblings enrolling. Families are the experts on how great the program is, and we see a lot of person-to-person recruitment. Eugene Public Library recruits families through their outreach activities, and we are always looking to build partnerships with local preschools, social service agencies, and community centers to spread the word. Starting this fall, we are going to increase bilingual Spanish/English recruitment materials to be more accessible to our community at large.