Washington County, OH — While their caregivers turn over laundry, local children can now turn the pages of a new book.

Laundromat Libraries, a pilot program of Marietta Community Foundation, seeks to get more books into the hands of children county-wide by establishing small libraries of books that children can take or borrow from laundromats in Washington County.

“We know that people frequently bring their children with them to the laundromat and spend at least an hour there. This will help keep the kids busy with something positive while there and again at home if they chose to keep the book,” said Allender. 

Programs such as this are on the rise nationally. When Allender first heard about a similar program, she knew that this would be a great use of the Foundation’s partnership with The UPS Store Marietta.

Using donations made to the Toys for Tots Literacy Program during checkout, The UPS Store Marietta purchased nearly 1,000 Scholastic books which will be used to stock the library’s shelves throughout the year. The books are primarily suited for Pre-K children through grade 7.

This book-gifting partnership between The UPS Store Marietta and Marietta Community Foundation first began in 2021, with this year taking on this longer-term approach for distributing the books.

“I am so happy to continue to build this relationship between The UPS Store and Marietta Community Foundation,” said Erin Baker, Franchise Owner of The UPS Store Marietta. “Truly it is the monetary donations from our customers that make this project possible! The UPS Store along with the Toys for Tots Literacy Program make sure all the donations equal great books for our local area. I know I can count on Marietta Community Foundation to help make the biggest impact by donating the books to them each year!”

The first laundromat library was installed on June 16th at Old Town Express Laundry, located on Pike Street in Marietta.

“We are just happy to be able to provide a means to encourage young minds to cultivate a love for reading, as it is such an important step in the learning process,” said Frank and Judy Lang, owners of Old Town Express Laundry. “Plus, it gives them something constructive to do!”

Funding for the bookshelf was provided by the Dwight K. and Dorothy S. Hays Memorial Fund held at the Foundation.

Laundromats in Washington County willing to host a library are asked to contact Marietta Community Foundation at 740-373-3286 or heather@mcfohio.org. The Foundation hopes to expand the program to reach every part of the county following a successful pilot.

The Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five — regardless of their family’s income. To date, the program has put more than 182 million books in the hands of children worldwide. Children can be registered to receive free, monthly Imagination Library books at https://imaginationlibrary.com/ or by visiting the Foundation’s office in downtown Marietta.

Flyers and registration forms for the Imagination Library can be found at each laundromat library location, as well as in all of the county’s public libraries.

Community members wanting to get involved can volunteer or donate through Marietta Community Foundation or donate to the Toys for Tots Literacy Program during checkout at The UPS Store Marietta.

Marietta Community Foundation brings together passionate donors and causes to improve Washington County, Ohio for generations to come. Founded in 1974, the Foundation manages more than 350 funds and has distributed more than $24.5 million to charities while meeting rigorous national standards in the community foundation sector.