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Santa Fe County Funds Imagination Library

The Santa Fe Community Services Department is pleased to announce the release of $50,000 to partner with the United Way of Santa Fe County to bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the children and families of Santa Fe County. The Imagination Library program was founded by Dolly Parton in 1995 to increase reading among young children. The program provides a carefully selected book that arrives in the mailbox, each month from the day the child is born until he/she is 5 years old. Books are selected by a national panel of experts.

”Less than half of the 13,000 students in Santa Fe school district read at grade level,” states Rachel O’Conner, Santa Fe County Community Services Department Director. “We are pleased to be partnering with United Way of Santa Fe County and Imagination Library to see if we can help increase reading scores amongst our young children.”

The United Way will serve as the “local champion” to assist the County in registering and enrolling children and publicizing the program. “We are looking forward to working in our community to enroll children across the County,” said Katherine Freeman, CEO of United Way of Santa Fe County. Freeman continued, “It is a natural fit with our early childhood and home visiting programs.” The United Way expects to enroll 525 children countywide in 2015.

According to a 2013 “Kid Count” profile, in Santa Fe County 46 percent of fourth grader students in Santa Fe County are proficient in reading. Research has shown that when families have more books at home, kindergartners arrive at school with higher early language scores.

For enrollment in the Imagination Library, please call United Way at 505-216-2984.

Santa Fe County also provides funds to local libraries in Santa Fe, Espanola, Edgewood and Eldorado.