A book holds more than just words and pictures. It carries an unexplainable magic and is the development of literacy that grants children the knowledge to succeed in life. An idea sparked by Dolly Parton in 1995, the Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from age zero to five at no cost to the family.
The program has been met with such approval that it has branched to other countries including Canada in 2006. Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territories are all part of the Imagination Library.
Marigold Library Systems is a parent organization that will be assisting the Cochrane Library in getting the Imagination Library up on its feet along with the funding graciously provided by the Optimist Club of Calgary. Due to the high need in Morley, the program will be launching there first. Rose Reid, an Indigenous outreach specialist with Marigold libraries, says the provincial government has decided to provide grants to any library system that operates near a reserve. This includes Marigold which deals with Siksika and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation reserves.
"Up until four years ago, we couldn't give library cards to people who lived on reserves or Metis settlements without charging them a non-resident fee of $70, which is a significant barrier for any family let alone a family with a limited income," explains Reid.
The partnership between Marigold Library Systems and the Cochrane Public Library soon discovered that the need for early literacy services within First Nations communities is just one small part in assisting children reach their full potential.
"We wouldn't have been able to get the registration that we have or attend as many events as we have to make people aware about library services and the Imagination Library if it wasn't for Rose's already established connections in Morley and through three bands of Stoney Nakoda," said Sarah Birch, community outreach and program librarian for Cochrane Public Library.
The program will be starting off with 45 children receiving books but statistics Canada indicates that there are 450 eligible children. The goal for Birch and Reid would ultimately be to continue to scale the program and its funding to a point where more children can be registered.
"It's especially a good fit for communities and families that have barriers to accessing library services. It is a wonderful, well-researched, well-received international early literacy program that helps every family from every walk of life in a supported community build a home library. Having books in the home is so important. Having parents and children reading together, that interaction is invaluable," said Birch.
A child growing up in a home with at least 80 books is said to have greater literacy, numeracy and information communication technology (ICT) skills.
"I'm hoping that every baby born in Morley over the next year is signed up to become a member of this program because how awesome would that be, because they can have a book from the time they are newborn until they're five years old, that's every child owning 60 books by the time they start school. That's fantastic," says Reid.
Through reading, books can teach us empathy, curiosity, critical thinking and about ourselves through themes, situations and characters.
"All important initiatives start with sitting on your mom or grandma's lap and having a story read," says Reid.
The books that the children will receive are chosen by a committee that deals with the Imagination Library. It consists of experts in child literacy, pediatricians, psychologists and educators. The books are meant to have a broad appeal and be non-denominational.
Birch reached out to the Optimist Club of Calgary to see if there was a way it could assist with the funding for the program. The club was quick to jump on board because it was intrigued about the program.
"Our motto is 'friends of youth' and so we tend to do more of our programs oriented toward helping young people," says Michael W. DeNicola, president of the Optimist Club.
The initial funding will go toward 45 children receiving a book each month for a year which works out to about $3.55 per child. Birch says as more children are registered they will initially go on a wait list until more funding is accessible.
Imagination Library will launch in October in Morley. The excitement of going to the mailbox and picking up a package that is addressed to each child will foster a special moment. One that will have children anxiously awaiting for the following month's deliveries.
