Colorado's Imagination Library Reaches 3 Million Books — and the Milestone Was Celebrated Right Here in Colorado Springs

Colorado's Imagination Library just hit a remarkable milestone: 3 million books delivered to Colorado children since the program launched in the state. Governor Jared Polis handed out the milestone copy at the Early Connections location on Rio Grande Street in Colorado Springs — choosing this city to mark a moment that belongs to every family across the state.

If you're not already enrolled, here's why it matters — and how to sign up in minutes.

The Scale of What Colorado Has Built

More than 89,000 Colorado children now receive a book through the Imagination Library every month. That represents 26% of all children in the state between the ages of zero and five — more than one in four Colorado kids.

New in 2026, the program began offering bilingual Spanish/English book options for all interested families. So far this year, 18,491 bilingual books have been mailed to Colorado families. For households where Spanish is a primary or shared language, this makes the program's reach meaningfully broader.

Colorado Springs Connection

Governor Polis chose to mark the 3 millionth book milestone at the Early Connections program location on Rio Grande Street in Colorado Springs — a community early childhood hub that works directly with families in the area. It's a reminder that programs like this exist because of local infrastructure: the people and organizations in Colorado Springs who connect families to resources they might not find on their own.

How to Enroll Your Child

Enrollment takes just a few minutes online. There is no income threshold, no eligibility screening — any family with a child under kindergarten age in Colorado can sign up.

What's Next

If your child is already enrolled, the books will keep coming. If they're not yet enrolled, the milestone celebration in Colorado Springs is a good reminder to check imaginationlibrarycolorado.org and get them on the list.

Three million books is a number. What it represents is three million moments when a Colorado child sat with a caregiver and looked at a book together — moments that build brains, build bonds, and build the lifelong habit of reading. Colorado Springs was part of making that happen, and it can keep being part of what comes next.