The Colorado Imagination Library Program

The act requires, subject to available appropriations, the state librarian in the department of education (department) to contract with a Colorado nonprofit organization (contractor) for the creation and operation of the Colorado imagination library program (program). The contractor shall manage the daily operations of the program, including but not limited to:

• Establishing county-based affiliate programs in all Colorado counties and city and counties;
• Advancing and strengthening the affiliate programs to ensure enrollment growth;
• Developing, promoting, and coordinating a public awareness campaign to make donors aware of the opportunity to donate to the affiliate program and make the public aware of the opportunity to register eligible children to receive books through the program; and
• Contracting with a national nonprofit foundation that exists for the sole purpose of working with local entities to identify eligible children and mail age-appropriate, high-quality books each month to those children at no cost to families.

The act requires the contractor to submit a report to the department which shall then submit the report to the general assembly on the total number of eligible children in each county or city and county in Colorado and how many eligible children are enrolled in the program in each county or city and county.

The act allows the department to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the creation and maintenance of the imagination library.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)