The Clackamas Bookshelf provides free books to low-income children in Clackamas County, with the understanding that widespread access to books offers positive, long-term benefits to our entire community. Reading a good book allows us to expand our imaginations, learn something new, and simply relax. The uncomfortable reality is that in many low-income homes, the scarcity of books negatively affect
s children’s futures.
*Students who are not proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
*In Clackamas County, 25% of 3rd grade students are not reading at grade level (2012).
*Children who start Kindergarten with limited exposure to reading are still performing below their peers on reading assessment tests by 4th grade.
*Thirty-three percent of entering Oregon kindergarteners could name five or few letters and 14% couldn’t name a single letter. We want to change this forever. And that change begins with a book.
*Books are a great equalizer. Access to books in the home directly predicts reading achievement and educational success, regardless of household income and parental education.
*Compared to their peers, children who own their own books: enjoy reading more, read more books, read more frequently, read for longer lengths of time, have more positive attitudes to reading, and have higher attainment.
*Children read more when they have access to engaging, age-appropriate books, magazines, newspapers, and other reading materials.
*Fourth-graders with 25 or more books in the home had higher scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading test than children who reported having fewer than 25 books. We invite you to get involved by donating used books, purchasing new ones, holding a book drive, or simply spreading the word about our mission!
