United Way of Putnam County,OH:

Click here to view the results of the March 2009 Putnam County Imagination Library Impact Survey

***United Way of Putnam County, Imagination Library - Temporary program modification until further notice:

Currently, one child per family can receive free books.  Books for additional children are available for $27 per year. Call the United Way for more details. 419-523-4505

Imagination Library
The Imagination Library is a proactive approach to help children achieve success in education and in life while encouraging family participation and promoting healthy lifelong reading habits. Imagination Library was created by the Dollywood Foundation in 1996 to provide books for preschoolers in Sevier County, Tennessee. Through enrollment in the Library, children ages 0-5 receive a book mailed to their home each month. The Foundation works in partnership with local organizations to replicate the program in other communities across the country.  In April 2003, the United Way of Putnam County committed to bringing the Imagination Library program to families of Putnam County.

Registration:
Parents or guardians can enroll their child (or children) by submitting a registration form to United Way of Putnam County, Box 472, Ottawa, OH 45875. Registration forms are available at any of the Putnam County branch libraries, the Putnam County Health Department, and the United Way office at 118 N. Hickory Street, Ottawa. Or click here  PDF File 72kb for a printable registration form. Once you sign up, books will arrive monthly. Please allow 8 - 12 weeks for delivery of the first book. Not all books are shipped at the same time. Households enrolling children of different ages should expect books for each child to arrive at different times. The date of arrival may fluctuate each month due to packing, sorting, and shipping variables. Your understanding is appreciated. Changes of address: Moving? To assure that your child does not miss out on receiving any of their books, please call the United Way with your new address prior to your move. The postal service does not forward books when a child has moved. Thank you.

Why is reading to babies so important?

It sounds too simple to be true, but by reading regularly with your children during their preschool years, you are giving them the biggest boost toward a successful education they will ever get. Educators have identified preschool reading and parent involvement as among the most important steps toward a child's success in school. Studies show that when children are given regular 'lap-time', or time spent reading books, their vocabulary can reach 10,000 words before age 5. For a child who hasn't had this experience, their vocabulary is about 3,000 words. According to the American Library Association, in order for children to be ready for school, they need to be read to (in addition to their favorites) at least 125 new or different books per year between the ages of 3 to 5.

How is this program made possible?

The Imagination Library program within Putnam County is funded in-part by an allocation from the United Way fall fund-raising campaign. This is supplemented by a sponsorship drive conducted each year in June. Any individual or organization may sponsor a child. The cost is just $27 per child per year. If you would like to help provide the Imagination Library to our community’s children, your donation, no matter the size, would be greatly appreciated. Please contact the United Way at 419-523-4505 for more information, or  click here  PDF File 72kb for a printable sponsorship form. Thank you.