The Charles County Public Library has reached a major milestone in its efforts to advertise early literacy, with the Creativeness Library of Charles County program mailing over 100,000 free books to youngsters underneath 5 as of July 2025.
This system, which delivers one age-appropriate ebook every month to enrolled youngsters, operates in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Creativeness Library and the Southern Maryland Regional Library Affiliation. It goals to construct house libraries and encourage studying habits from an early age.
“This milestone is a testomony to the unimaginable help from our group and the unwavering perception within the energy of books to form younger minds,” stated KennethWayne Thompson, govt director of Charles County Public Library. “The Creativeness Library is a shining instance of how CCPL creates alternatives for our group to have interaction, uncover, and be taught…one story at a time.”
The achievement aligns with the library’s strategic objectives to broaden entry to early literacy assets and improve group engagement. Since its inception, the Charles County Creativeness Library has enrolled greater than 5,400 youngsters and distributed over 105,000 books, supported by contributions from the Residents for the Charles County Public Library and numerous native donors.
Youngsters in Charles County who’re 4 years and 11 months previous or youthful qualify for this system, receiving books immediately at house till they flip 5. This can lead to a private assortment of as much as 60 books, chosen for developmental suitability and together with choices like bilingual English-Spanish editions. Audio and Braille variations can be found via collaborations with publishers. Mother and father or guardians deal with registration, both on-line or by way of paper varieties at library branches, with books arriving six to 9 weeks after signup.
The Charles County Creativeness Library attracts from Dolly Parton’s broader initiative, began in 1995 in Tennessee to honor her father’s incapacity to learn. Nationally, this system has mailed over 200 million books since its launch, reaching one in seven youngsters underneath 5 in the USA by 2024. In Maryland, about 9% of eligible youngsters statewide take part, with 33,917 enrolled as of latest information. Research linked to related efforts present contributors enter kindergarten with stronger vocabulary and narrative expertise, as analyzed in studies from Tennessee’s Governor’s Books from Start Basis.
Regionally, the Charles County Creativeness Library enhances different library initiatives targeted on early childhood growth. As an example, the five hundred by 5 program encourages households to learn 500 books to youngsters by age 5, providing incentives like tote baggage and monitoring logs to construct each day studying routines. Story time periods at library branches introduce rhymes and actions for toddlers, whereas paired fiction-nonfiction assets goal skill-building in areas like letter recognition. These efforts deal with literacy gaps, with Maryland assessments indicating that constant ebook publicity improves readiness scores.
The Charles County Public Library, serving a group centered in La Plata with branches in Waldorf, Potomac, and Indian Head, positions the Creativeness Library as a key device for household involvement. Registration requires proof of residency, and households should replace addresses to make sure steady supply. This system launched in Charles County in 2021, following advocacy for expanded entry to free assets amid rising consciousness of early training wants.
Funding comes from a mixture of library budgets, grants, and group donations, guaranteeing no value to households. People can contribute via the library’s help web page, serving to maintain ebook shipments. Related associates in close by areas, like Cecil County, report enrollment development tied to partnerships with native organizations.
Past distribution numbers, the Charles County Creativeness Library emphasizes long-term advantages, corresponding to elevated parent-child bonding via shared studying. Analysis from program evaluations highlights how month-to-month mailings create pleasure and routine, resulting in broader literacy practices in properties.
The library encourages eligible households to enroll promptly, as youngsters getting older out miss remaining books. For these , particulars on the Charles County Creativeness Library, together with varieties and portals, are available online. Donations to keep up this system may be made by way of the support section.
This milestone underscores the position of public libraries in Southern Maryland as hubs for instructional fairness, the place applications just like the Charles County Creativeness Library present foundational instruments with out obstacles. As enrollment continues, the initiative stands to affect 1000’s extra within the coming years, constructing on a mannequin confirmed efficient throughout states.
