Measurement and Evaluation
Measuring the impact of the Imagination Library
United Way believes in a foundation of strategic learning. We use Measurement, Evaluation and Learning to understand the impact the Imagination Library is having for children and their families, and to reflect on how we can improve and evolve. Our Impact Measurement uses prospective data which follows families through time and collects real life data as time progresses. Our survey methodology has been developed to align with the Imagination Library’s Logic Model.
The four outcomes we measure are:
Enhancing the home literacy environment
Increasing positive attitudes about reading and motivation to read
Increasing interactions between caregivers and children during book reading
Improving early literacy skills
The data
Data from nearly 300 families receiving the Imagination Library for 6 months or more tells us:
90% of children are being read to regularly (several times a week or more) – an increase of 14%.
47% of children are being read to for at least 10 minutes in one session – an increase of 31%.
81% Caregivers feel more confident to read to their child after the introduction of the Imagination Library. Caregivers are engaging in a range of new reading techniques beneficial for emerging literacy.