With the pandemic placing stress on everyone, there has never been a better time for families to receive books in the mail each month as gifts to share with their little children. Reading to preschool children on a regular basis is the best way to encourage their educational success.

Imagination Library, a program of Eugene Public Library and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation, offers just that — free books for all children age birth through 4 years old, no strings or fees attached. The program is funded by local donors to Eugene Public Library Foundation and is available to all Eugene families.

The books are chosen to be age-appropriate and fun, and some offerings are bilingual. Every month a new book to keep is mailed in the child’s name and comes with tips for the parent or guardian about reading to young children. The goal is to boost early literacy skills and interest in books, thus promoting a brighter outlook for the child and our whole community. 

The program currently serves more than 3,500 children and is striving to double that number. It’s easy to enroll, and the books start arriving about two months later. To register a child, simply go to Eugene-OR.gov/2692/Imagination-Library. Then snuggle up and read.

Martha Ravits

Advisory Board Member, Imagination Library

Eugene