Our Story

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Mission

BookSpring provides books, reading experiences and tools to children and their families so they can develop a desire to read and succeed in school

Vision

BookSpring’s vision is a community where all children have the opportunity to become literate.

Our Story

Two important indicators of the success of a society are the level of literacy of its children and youth, and the extent of disparities in literacy skills among children and youth with differing characteristics and family backgrounds. The inability to read well can have a direct impact on an individual’s self-esteem and ability to advance socially and academically. The vast majority of high school drop-outs, welfare recipients, and prisoners score poorly on reading assessments, and low literacy levels are strongly associated with low paying jobs, unemployment, poverty, and, crime. By passionately driving early literacy development, BookSpring equips children, families, and communities with the tools and skills required for long-term success.

What we do…

BookSpring provides essential literacy programs based on distinct program models to create a continuum of literacy development. Through our programs, we:

• Reach families at the very earliest point in their child’s development and encourage and support them in taking advantage of the critical early months and years of brain development.
• Focus on increasing the literacy level of our greater community by changing the literacy-related behaviors of parents and students.
• Make book sharing and reading aloud an integral part of family activities so that children grow up from infancy with books and a love of reading.

Our Shared Values

As a nonsectarian, nonpartisan, inclusive organization, we value:

• Excellence: We depend on exceptional people to provide exceptional quality services throughout our organization. We set high standards and we support each other as we strive to achieve them. We invest in each other and we value the individual and cultural differences that make us strong.
• Integrity: We earn the trust of those we serve by operating ethically and professionally. We treat all individuals with respect and dignity. We respect the cultural heritage of each of our program sites. We will be accountable to our constituents and each other by taking ownership of problems, accepting responsibility for action taken, and following through with our promises.
• Innovation: We embrace change, creativity, continuous learning, and personal growth. We incorporate new ideas and methods to improve the services we provide. We anticipate future trends and we create strategic plans to ensure future growth and continued vitality.
• Diversity and Community: Recognizing that a range of thoughtful perspectives is necessary for open inquiry, creativity, and a healthy organization, we seek and welcome a diverse group of Board Directors, volunteers, and staff. We value a multiplicity of opinions and backgrounds and seek ways to incorporate the voices and experiences of all into our organization. In order to foster a healthy and diverse environment, we act with compassion, communicate respectfully, and accept responsibility for our words and actions.
• Collaboration: We are dedicated to building enduring internal and external relationships, joining with colleagues across organizational boundaries to improve services we provide. We encourage individuals working together to reach common goals, while maintaining personal identities. We recognize that significant contributions come from the diversity of individuals and ideas. We put the common good ahead of narrow interests.

Financial

1. IRS Form 990
2. Audit for Fiscal Year 2011
3. 2011 Annual Report