DIBS for Kids

Access to books is critical any time and especially during the summer. It is why we are piloting and iterating our mail-based summer program with over 160 students this summer. With our classroom-based program having sent home nearly 1.3 million books since 2015, DIBS knows that every kid has different interests and skills in reading. That is why our summer students receive a customized set of four to six books in the mail, alongside a returnable envelope and prepaid shipping label, so they can read books they want to read, mail them back to us, and receive a new customized set. Each student also receives a handwritten note by one of our staff encouraging their interests (or validating their dislikes!). The research bears out our observations - students read more, grow their reading skills, practice writing their thoughts, and deepen their love of reading. Plus, we discover new titles and ideas too because who knew geology would be such a popular topic!?! #accesstobooks #literacy #summer

Program evaluation is a cornerstone of our work at DIBS. Our recently-completed five year program evaluation by Category One Consulting is now available (link below). We agree with the teacher who stated "There is no better way for kids to get better at reading, than to read! A new book every day makes reading fun and exciting!" We learned: 🎯 DIBS students saw significantly greater increases in reading achievement and were more likely to meet expected reading growth goals than control group students 🎯 When students checked out 80 or more books during the school year, those students had ever larger score increases and even more likely to meet expected growth goals 🎯 Analyses indicate students with consistent DIBS participation from kindergarten through third grade could increase their reading ability by the equivalent of one full grade level relative to non-DIBS students. Read more here: https://shorturl.at/PFSBH The power of delivering infinite book shelves is immense - and we are so proud of our DIBS students, teachers, and families. Want to learn more about our programs? Reach out! #accesstobooks #programevaluation #literacy #reading

Thanks to everyone at Deloitte for any amazing #impactday and including DIBS among other amazing nonprofits doing impactful work!

Thank you to #Deloitte Omaha for #volunteering with DIBS for Kids on your #ImpactDay! Almost 3,000 students will have their own student folder so they can take #books home every single school night. This is #impactthatmatters in our communities and to the over 6,000 students we will serve in the 2024-2025 school year!

Sometimes in late afternoon, when the shipping dock is full, the car passenger is #books, on their way to the post office so kids can get exactly what they want to read during the summer. Each package is a specifically curated set of books for each student, because DIBS students all have different interests (#funfact - geology is popular this summer!). Our mail-based program helps DIBS students have #access during the summer months to continue reading books every night. Our favorite part? When students send their books back, we learn what they loved ensuring their voices are heard and we can keep finding the perfect books throughout the summer!

The perfect milestone for during Teacher Appreciation Week. This incredible accomplishment of 350,000 books taken home this school year is not possible without the incredible dedication of teachers, students, families, and others. DIBS works hard to provide nightly access to books so students have a book to read every school night. We could not be more thrilled of the accomplishments of our students and can't wait to meet the next milestones with them! #books #bookaccess #literacy