Governor Mike DeWine [ [link removed] ]
*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:*
November 14, 2020 *MEDIA CONTACTS:*
Dan Tierney: 614-644-0957
Eve Mueller: 614-644-0957



*The Ohio Governors Imagination Library Program is Now Available to Every Ohio Child After Meeting Goal to Expand to All 88 Counties*

(COLUMBUS) Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine is pleased to announce the Ohio Governors Imagination Library Program is now available to every Ohio child. Partnerships and funding have been established in each of Ohios 88 counties, so that all children who enroll from birth to age five can receive a free book in the mail every single month to help accelerate their development.

First Lady Fran DeWine

We are thrilled to have a statewide program now in Ohio, which means every single child in Ohio can receive the benefits of the Ohio Governors Imagination Library, said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. Brain science shows a childs brain is already 80 percent developed by the time he or she turns three years old. Those first three years are so critical to their development.

The Ohio Governors Imagination Library Program partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in 2019 to take the program statewide. State lawmakers provided $5 million dollars in funding to match county funds so that these books ($2.10 each) are provided at no cost to Ohio families. Non-profit organizations in each county administer the program. Ohio is the largest among seven states to offer the program statewide. The other states are Tennessee, where Parton started the program in 2004, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Delaware, and North Carolina. The program is also in Washington, D.C.



Two Ohio Children with Imagination Library Books

Fran and I hope the Imagination Library will help set up kids on a successful path to kindergarten, so they may all be at the same starting line, and not behind, said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. During these tough times in the COVID-19 pandemic, children continue to learn, grow, and dream. Having free books in the home certainly might be even more important at this time.

We know that children who are exposed to language and reading -- starting when they are born have higher literacy rates and greater academic achievements when they are older compared with children who dont have that early benefit. A child enrolled in the Ohio Imagination Library Program at birth can receive up to 60 books by the time he or she turns five years old, setting them up for success in kindergarten and beyond. Its a simple but a very important thing we can do for our kids, especially now in the face of a global pandemic.

Currently 244,885 Ohio children under age five (34 percent of eligible children) receive the Ohio Governors Imagination Library books.

To watch a video about the Ohio Governors Imagination Library, click _here [ [link removed] ]_.

To enroll children, parents and caregivers can sign up at OhioImaginationLibrary.org [ [link removed] ].


Imagination Library Logo
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