The Verde Valley Imagination Library is looking to expand enrollment for their program and bring more books to children in the Verde Valley.
The Rotary Club of Sedona brought the Imagination Library to Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek in 2016 before expanding it to the entire Verde Valley. The program provides free, high-quality books to children up to age five regardless of family income.
Enrollment peaked around 2,000 children in 2021 and has since decreased to about 1,850 children, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing a factor in that.
“We really want to increase enrollment and awareness of the program and to instill a love of learning and reading at an early age,” program director Janet Sandoval said. “What it’s all about is getting the child at a young age to love reading and associating that with the good feeling of being snuggled up in the lap of someone that loves you.”
The books arrive in the mail addressed directly to each child, which is very special to them. “It’s something they look forward to,” Sandoval said. “I often hear from parents that it’s the highlight, when they open the mail and the book is addressed to the child. It says you’re important, you matter and reading is important.”
The books are selected by a panel of educators and follow different themes throughout the child’s development. For example, the last book that the child receives before they graduate out of the program is “Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come,” by Nancy Carlson, which serves as a helpful introduction to kindergarten.
Sandoval mentioned that if children stay in the program, they will have their own little book club by the time they reach kindergarten. Often, they will recognize books that they have read throughout the program and start discussing them with their fellow readers.
Parents have also expressed that they believe their children enjoy reading more because of the program.
The inside flaps of many of these books offer guides and ideas to help parents engage their children while reading. More books are becoming available in Spanish as well.
The library is always looking for volunteers who share a vision of the importance of early literacy. The duties of a volunteer include hand delivering books when they can’t be delivered to a home address.
“I’ve done that on several occasions and they’re very surprised that someone would actually drive out to their house and deliver a book,” Sandoval said. “That’s the message it gives: We really think this book is important for you to read with your child.”
Sandoval and the rest of the board want to thank their supporters, which include the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County, the ACF of Sedona, United Way Rotary, Read On Arizona and a number of residents and local businesses and utility companies that donate.
“Exposure to the written word at an early age is so important,” Sandoval said, adding that even listening to words being read aloud is crucial to developing a child’s language skills.
Registration is available online and at Verde Valley libraries. For more information. visit vvilbooks.com or email jsandoval@vvilbooks.org.
