First Lady Fran DeWine
pictured with community and library partners at the Deer Park Branch
Library for Hamilton County’s One Millionth Imagination Library Book
Celebration.
(CINCINNATI, Ohio)— This morning, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine
attended Hamilton County’s One Millionth Imagination Library Book
Celebration at Deer Park Branch Library in Cincinnati.
First Lady DeWine also presented a?proclamation?from Governor Mike
DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted, which recognizes the milestone
of one million Imagination Library books being given out in Hamilton
County.
“Hamilton County serves as a role model for how to build strong
community partnerships and expand enrollment in the Ohio Governor’s
Imagination Library,” said First Lady DeWine.? “I am so grateful for
the effort to get so many free books into the hands of our littlest
Ohioans and their families, because we know this program has so many
benefits – from better bonding time to better kindergarten readiness
scores!”
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First Lady DeWine joined several community partners who have
supported the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library program in
Hamilton County, including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital,
Cincinnati Public Library, and members of the Ohio General Assembly.
Afterwards, First Lady DeWine visited Cincinnati Public School
District’s John P. Parker Elementary School and read "The Very
Hungry Caterpillar"?by Eric Carle to?a group of preschoolers. She
was also joined by Loren Long, Ohio author and illustrator, who has
four books in the Imagination Library collection. First Lady DeWine
and Loren read two additional books.
Ohio Author and Illustrator Loren Long joins First Lady DeWine at
John P. Parker Elementary School for a book reading.
“Programs like the Imagination Library are incredibly important to
Cincinnati Children’s because they are investments into the health
of our community,” said Bill Brinkman, MD, Director of General and
Community Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. “Partnering
with parents to promote a love for reading at a young age, which we
know is a critical time for brain development, is vitally important
for children and for the continued growth and health of our region.
We are proud to be a part of this program and celebrate reaching
this milestone alongside our funders and community partners.”
Hamilton County’s Imagination Library program began in 2015 with a
pilot partnership between Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and
Cincinnati Public School District. Following the three-year pilot,
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital published a?study?showing that the
percentage of entering kindergarteners who were “on-track” on the
Kindergarten Readiness Assessment’s literacy section increased by
15% among those with greater exposure to the Imagination Library
program. This increase was significantly greater than similar
children who weren’t enrolled in the program.
" Regular reading is a critical part of a child’s development. Just
20 minutes per day is enough to strengthen brain development, build
caregiver-child relationships, and build literacy and social
skills,” said Paula Brehm-Heeger, the Eva Jane Romaine Coombe
Director of the Library. “That’s why it is important to get books
into kids’ hands in order to build a foundation of success for
starting their education journey.”
The Imagination Library in Hamilton County became available
county-wide in?March 2020?with support from the Ohio Governor’s
Imagination Library and the Ohio General Assembly. Currently, 50% of
eligible children (26,486) in Hamilton County are enrolled in the
Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library.
Statewide, 45% of eligible children (321,565) are enrolled in the
Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library, each receiving a high quality,
age-appropriate book every month in the mail. Any child from birth
to age five can enroll in the program at no cost to their family.
To learn more about the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library or to
enroll a child, visit?OhioImaginationLibrary.org.
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First Lady Fran DeWine pictured with the preschool class at John P.
Parker Elementary School in Cincinnati.
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