Spring 2025 Focus Newsletter
Welcome to the Spring Focus newsletter! Inside, you’ll find Library Foundation and Friends of the Cedar Rapids Public Library updates, including highlights from our spring events and stories celebrating two remarkable figures in our library community. We also take a look back at the incredible women who have shaped our library since its earliest days—and, of course, share a toast to a special partnership with Lion Bridge Brewing Co.
What Your Gifts Support
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 Access, Connection, early literacy, and kindergarten readiness. To date, we’ve mailed more than 454,000 books to children in Cedar Rapids.
Preschool Outreach – Through 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 Connection to library services for families who might struggle to make it through our doors.
Summer Reading Challenge - Our Library's Summer Reading Challenge is an intergenerational program combining reading with activities that encourage Access, Service, and lifelong learning. Summer Reading Challenge is a cornerstone library Service that has evolved to include both take-home program kits and in-person programs at our Library and area parks. Several programs are offered each week, engaging thousands of attendees throughout the summer.
PressReader – This digital resource offers unlimited access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines. Supporting Access and Connection, 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.
Books & Materials – The library’s books and materials are the consumables that 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 Access and Service 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 Service and 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.
