Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Research shows that children who grow up with books in their home will achieve three more years of education than those who do not. Our Imagination Library provides Cedar Rapids children one free, age-appropriate book per month from birth to their fifth birthday, regardless of income. These high-quality books are mailed to the child’s home with the child’s name on them. Children enrolled at birth will have 60 books in their home before kindergarten, promoting early Literacy and kindergarten readiness. To date, we’ve mailed more than 255,000 books to children in Cedar Rapids.
Mobile Technology Lab – Launched in May 2021, the Mobile Technology Lab brings members of our community Access to emerging technology outside our library walls. The Mobile Technology Lab is stocked with portable electronics and maker tools for all ages. Inclusion is at the forefront of strategy in determining where and when to deliver Tech to Go programs - you might find the Mobile Technology Lab at an area park or helping print resumes at an IowaWORKS job fair.
Preschool Outreach – Through recorded monthly story times at preschools serving low-income children, library staff engage students in the five early literacy practices of Sing, Talk, Read, Write, and Play. Since 1990, the preschool outreach program has provided story time books for children to take home and healthy snacks for parent-teacher meetings and graduation ceremonies. The preschool outreach program supports early Literacy and provides Access to library services for families who might struggle to make it through our doors.
Summer Dare – Our library’s Summer Dare is an intergenerational program that combines reading with activities that encourage lifelong learning. Summer Dare has evolved to include both take-home program kits and in-person programs at our library and area parks. With 188 in-person programs, this year’s Summer Dare saw 7,163 attendees.
PressReader – PressReader provides unlimited access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines. Supporting Access and Inclusion, this resource offers publications from countries around the world. Titles our patrons can access include The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Daily Mail, L’Equipe, Der Taggesspiegel, Liberation, China Daily, and LaRazon, along with thousands of others.
Book Club Facilitators – Our library has more than 100 book club kits available for public use. The Library Foundation funds two book club facilitators who have led monthly discussions at Cottage Grove Place and Meth-Wick Community since 2004. This program promotes Literacy and provides Access to library service for seniors who may struggle to get to the library on their own.
Books & Materials – The library’s books and materials keep our patrons engaged and equipped with well cared-for and maintained literature, videos, music, ebooks, and more. The Foundation has helped enhance the library’s commitment to Literacy collections through donor gifts since 1985.
Library Staff Appreciation and Development – The Foundation funds annual library staff development as well as library staff and volunteer appreciation and recognition. The library is committed to the continuing education of staff and provides yearlong professional development in topics such as intellectual freedom, implicit bias, social justice and equity, and the role of the library in community.
