UH children are eligible for free-books program

Children in University Heights and surrounding communities are eligible for free books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, thanks to The Literacy Cooperative and the Heights Family Foundation.

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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) is a unique, early-years book-gifting program that mails a free, brand-new, age-appropriate, high-quality book to enrolled children every month, from birth until age 5. The program provides each child with a home library of up to 60 books, and seeks to instill a love of books and family reading from an early age.

According to The Literacy Cooperative, in University Heights there are about 2,700 children, ages 5 and younger, who are eligible for the program. However, the current enrollment in University Heights is only 373 children.

“This is a great program for kids in our community,” Mayor Michael Dylan Brennan said. “Check it out for your children.”

Parents of children ages 4 and a half and younger can enroll online at www.literacycooperative.org. There is no cost or obligation to the child’s family.

More than 40 studies have shown that the program has a significant and positive impact on family literacy habits, kindergarten readiness, and third-grade reading on grade level.

This program is available in University Heights thanks to the Heights Family Foundation. It also serves Cleveland Heights and other Greater Cleveland communities, including Shaker Heights and East Cleveland.

In Greater Cleveland, The Literacy Cooperative is implementing and managing the rollout of DPIL in an effort to reach more than 15,000 children. The ultimate goal of this initiative is to improve kindergarten readiness and family literacy habits in select communities.