National Impact Report – Impact of the Imagination Library on Australian families and children

The aim of this report is to evaluate the impact of the Imagination Library on children and their families in Australia. The Dollywood Foundation developed a program logic model which outlines the short-term, intermediate and long-term goals of the Imagination Library. This report will use both quantitative and qualitative approaches of measurement to evaluate the short-term and intermediate goals from the logic model.

• Children on the Imagination Library are being read to more often, for longer duration and have more books in the home compared to Australian children not on the program.
• Caregivers who read daily or more at baseline were 8 times more likely to still be reading daily or more 12 months after being on the program.
• The Imagination Library increases the use of reading techniques known to be beneficial for language acquisition and development.
• The Imagination Library increases caregiver confidence and enjoyment.
• 90% of caregivers reported spending more quality time together as a family with books.