New Mothers Receive Special Gift Of Books Through Pioneer Library System

When new mothers leave the hospital, it’s not uncommon to leave with special gifts like blankets or toys.

Now thanks to the Pioneer Library System, they are leaving with something even more special.

It’s a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Pioneer Library system providing books to kids five years old and younger.

“So, we’re very happy to be providing books to newborns in the area and they’ll receive their first book when they leave the hospital,” said Lisa Wells, Executive Director of Pioneer Library System.

This is the third year for the program partially funded by the State Department of Education. “We have just over ten thousand children registered for the program in our three-county service area,” said Wells.

Families like Pioneer Library’s foundation President, Travis Lightsey, whose kids also receive the books. “We want to get children excited to be able to go to the library but also be able to get a book, hold it in their hand, be able to read that book and just open up their imagination to what the possibilities will be,” said Lightsey.

The hope is to get families reading together right from the start.  

“We obviously have families that come and so if they are not reading directly to the baby, it may be to the other kids that are in the room,” said Hope Whitney, Managing Nurse with SSM Regional Hospital in Shawnee.

“Most of them know the little engine that could, so it gets them started with something that is familiar,” said Whitney.

When families sign up for the program before leaving the hospital, the children will receive a new book through the mail every month up to their fifth birthday.

“They look forward to receiving those new books in the mail because that’s something we try to instill in our children to have a love of learning but also a love for reading,” said Lightsey.

Right now, the book program is in Cleveland, McClain, and Pottawatomie counties, but the hope is to make it available for more families. For information about the program, visit www.pioneerlibrarysystem.org