Enrollment in Imagination Library More Than Doubles in Four Months after Expanding to Entire County
Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney announced today that enrollment in the
Imagination Library has more than doubled since it was expanded to the entire county on
March 2nd.
“Since expanding the Imagination Library enrollment has grown from just over 4,500 children to
nearly 9,300 children in only four months,” said Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney.
“We know this program is proven to better prepare kids for school and we thank our partners
at the Literacy Coalition for the great work they are doing getting children enrolled.”
Imagination Library is a program which provides children with a free book mailed to their home
every month from birth through age 5. It started in two zip codes in Syracuse several years ago
and it has been incredibly effective. LeMoyne College has carefully researched the program
and children who have participated in Imagination Library, within the City of Syracuse, are
doing nearly as well on Kindergarten readiness tests as children in other higher performing
county school districts.
According to Virginia Carmody, Executive Director, Literacy Coalition of Onondaga County:
“We’re not only thrilled that our Imagination Library program has doubled in the past few
months, but the on-going support of our community partners, especially Onondaga County, has
been extraordinary.”
Felicia McCrary Salley of Syracuse, whose three children have benefited from the Imagination
Library program said, “The books are like a gift in the mail each month. Since we could not
afford to buy books on our own, we were so excited that we even took pictures of our family
reading. I know the books extended their knowledge and all of them love to read.” A fourth
child recently arrived and is already enrolled.
For more info call 214-2878 or visit https://onliteracy.org/about-imagination-library/