Altoona partners with Imagination Library to mail books to birth‑to‑5 children

The Altoona Area School District announced a new partnership to offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children from birth through age 5 who live in ZIP codes 16601, 16602 and 16603. Haley, the district presenter, said enrolled children will receive one age‑appropriate book each month mailed directly to their homes once parents register.

The program’s Year 1 target is to enroll roughly 30% of eligible children in those ZIP codes—about 611 youngsters. Haley said the per‑child cost for books and mailing is $2.10 per month and that the district estimates a Year‑1 program cost of $15,385. Individual sponsorships were described: a $126 contribution will sponsor one child from birth to age 5.

Haley said the district is partnering with the School District Foundation as the receiving 501(c)(3) and that the Altoona Public Library has committed a multi‑year donation that, together with two initial sponsors, will let the program begin. The district will continue to seek sponsors and accept donations to expand participation.

The presenter outlined outreach plans to reach families at pediatricians’ offices, WIC sites and OBGYN clinics and said library story times will be aligned with books being mailed to support parent engagement. Haley invited the board to a kickoff event on Friday, Sept. 13 at 9:30 a.m. at the Altoona Public Library, where the district will register an initial cohort drawn from the district’s Learning Express preschool program and hold a story time.

Board members thanked the foundation and library for financial support. No formal vote or board action was recorded at the meeting; administrators said they would seek additional partnerships and sponsorships as the program launches.