Although most of the basic operations of the Ferst Foundation program occur in the Madison office knowing when and how that happens each month can make it easier to manage your local program.

The Basics of the Imagination Library Program

»  Every child under the age of five in a participating community is eligible for the program. No group is favored or stigmatized by being part of the program.

»  Children may be registered at birth or at any age between birth and four 1/2 years. At age five, children “graduate” from the program with a special book, "Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten".

»  Any adult caregiver can register a child.

»  The books are delivered each month by U.S. Mail to the child’s home, and multiple children in a home (including twins, triplets, etc.) each receive their own age-appropriate book.

»  The first book mailed to all children regardless of age is “The Little Engine that Could.” Included with
 the book is a newsletter with a welcome letter, and a Ferst Library card. The bookend coupon is included in the newsletter as soon as the bookends arrive in the community (the local sponsor provides the funding and the Ferst Foundation staff places the order for the bookends for the CAT).

»  Finally, and most importantly, the program is ABSOLUTELY FREE to participating families. There are NEVER any charges or costs to the children or families. The cost of the program is covered by public and private contributions, sponsorships, and grants obtained by Ferst Foundation and local Community Action Teams. Note that families may be encouraged to “sponsor” another child through a $36.00 donation each year but donations are not required to register a child.

Book Ordering

Each month new registrations are entered and the Program Manager submits a book order no later than the 9^th of the month. Ferst Foundation, along with many other groups across the nation, buys books in conjunction with the Dollywood Foundation. Bulk buying allows us to obtain the best books for the lowest price. The books that are ordered on the 9^th of the month will not arrive until the end of the following month. For example, an order placed on June 9^th will not arrive until late July and will be mailed the last week of July. (Also see timeline). It is hard for children and their caregivers to understand why it takes so long but it is the most cost-effective way to provide books to as many families as we do. This is especially difficult when you are first starting up. You have generated a lot of enthusiasm during registration and now there is a two to three month wait for books. Don’t be overly concerned. Once the books begin to arrive no one will remember the wait.

The First Mailing

The first book mailed to all children regardless of age is “The Little Engine that Could.” Included in the first mailing to each child are a bookend coupon (if applicable), a Ferst Library card, and an introductory letter. The Ferst Library card encourages the parent/caregiver to take the child to the library to sign up for their local library card. We hope this will be the first of many trips to the local library.

Book Ends

The “Little Engine that Could” bookends are an integral part of the program. Visually they complete the library for a child. Many parents/caregivers are concerned about the size but it will fit on most shelves or nicely on the floor where the books may be even more accessible to the children! For the CAT, it may be a challenge to secure a place to store and distribute them (although the corporate sponsor may be very eager to handle it themselves!). Each set of bookends comes in a box that is approximately 22 x 9 x 7. They come four to a case. In most communities, the library is an excellent distribution site, however bookends can be given out anywhere. If storage is a problem at the distribution point, bookends can be stored off site and replenished as needed.

Database Management

Registration forms entered through our www.ferstfoundation.org website go directly into the database; when registration forms come into the Madison office they are manually entered into a database as volunteers are available. Keeping the database accurate and up to date is critical. It costs us time and money when books are undeliverable. Each CAT leader is able to log on to the CAT website and access the database for their community.

Your Local Post Office

We could not get books in the hands of children without the Post Office. It is a good policy in all communities to develop a strong working relationship with your local USPS. They can be extremely helpful with address corrections and returning undeliverable books. A healthy respect for their hard work and a plate of brownies here and there can be the basis of a positive relationship. You might also point out that most children think it is the mail carrier who gives them the books not Ferst Foundation!

Website

The website is available for Media, parents and CAT members. The website is updated often with press releases from other CATs if they send them to us. The web address is: www.ferstfoundation.org.   

Additional Services

Ferst Foundation has also created custom visibility campaigns for use with Title I and Reading Excellence grants for school districts in our counties. We have developed reading campaign promotional materials, registration mailers and give-away items for children. These are called our “Leap Into Books” items. Current items include growth charts, plush frogs, bookmarks, magnets, and visibility campaign postcards; these items are available at cost. Additional fundraising items such as BookHound Cookbooks and Holiday Greeting Cards are also available at cost.  Please contact us at info@ferstfoundation.org if you are interested in any of these items.

History of Foundation

If you are wondering how this program came into being, you will find a brief history of how Robin Ferst started the foundation.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have compiled a list of frequently asked questions and responses for you to use when registering children and during fundraising! 


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