Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Dolly Parton may be best known for her songs and movies, but she also strongly advocates for early childhood education. She strives to ensure that every child has access to books regardless of their family income level.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library offers free books to children from birth until they turn five years old, encouraging reading, encouraging parent-child interaction and building strong educational foundations.

What is the Imagination Library?

The Imagination Library was launched by Dolly Parton to encourage kids to love reading. It sends free books to children from birth up to age 5 at no cost to their families, chosen by experts as age-appropriate and covering a range of topics. The books are mailed directly to each child's home.

In 1995, Dolly Parton launched The Imagination Library in Tennessee - now part of America. Since then it has spread throughout other communities across America and now mails more than one million books monthly to children across North America, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Studies have confirmed that reading aloud to children is essential for developing early literacy skills, and the Imagination Library has been an effective model that can improve school readiness and academic achievement outcomes. To reach its objectives, the organization relies on support from various partners including community organizations and corporations.

One of the key features of Imagination Library program is that each child receives a book each month at no cost to their family. The aim is to foster an appreciation of literature that will last throughout life.

In addition to physical books, the Imagination Library also provides free online resources that can help children learn to read. These include reading tips and printable worksheets. They may also watch educational videos tailored specifically for specific skillsets.

Another strength of the Imagination Library is its capacity to make high-quality books accessible to children at no cost to their families. This is possible because the organization purchases and mails over one million books each month, covering any necessary costs with donations.

Children at Imagination Library receive a large percentage of books that have never been published before, representing an array of topics and interests. These books range from classics to lesser-known works and are carefully selected by experts in publishing and education.

How does the Imagination Library work?

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a program that sends free books to children from birth until their fifth birthday. Started as a nonprofit by Parton with the purpose of encouraging reading among kids, it has since grown into an international effort encompassing all 50 states as well as Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.

The Imagination Library's success can be attributed to the hard work and collaboration of local partners in each community, who joined forces with the organization to bring it there. These could include nonprofits, state agencies or public library systems.

Each local partner pays $25 per child enrolled in the program, which covers books and shipping expenses. These books have been carefully selected by a panel of educators and reading specialists to guarantee they meet developmental appropriateness for each age group.

This program assesses books based on quality and content as well as age range. Studies have demonstrated that this program has proven successful at improving children's reading skills and sparking their interest in books.

Recently, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University conducted a study that revealed children who received books through the Imagination Library had improved letter knowledge and phonological awareness compared to those who didn't. This is significant because it shows how this program can have such an positive effect on kids' lives.

Dolly Parton has long been an enthusiastic supporter of the Imagination Library, driven by her desire to improve children's lives. Though she does not have children of her own, her dedication to helping kids learn to read is unwavering and she takes great joy in seeing this organization flourish over time.

As with so many programs she started, this one has evolved from a small idea into something much greater than expected. A seemingly straightforward concept has had an incredible impact on children's lives.

Dolly has always had a vision for children, whether that meant Universal Basic Income or early intervention in childhood literacy. Her "always-keep-dreaming" mantra has been taken to new heights with the Imagination Library being just another manifestation of her mission to make the world a more educated and compassionate place.

What are the benefits of the Imagination Library?

In 1995, country music star Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee to promote early childhood literacy. This program provided free books to all children - regardless of family income - from birth until age five and has since mailed over 149 million books to kids across North America, Canada, Australia and The Republic of Ireland.

Each book is carefully chosen by a panel of early childhood literacy experts to meet the developmental needs of young children. They focus on language development, reading readiness, diversity, social-emotional learning and self-confidence building.

DPIL provides this program at no cost to children and their families, with books delivered monthly by post. To make the program accessible in local communities, DPIL collaborates with local organizations.

Parents and caregivers can sign their child up for the program online by entering their address and zip code. If it isn't available in their area, parents and caregivers can register on a waiting list and be notified as soon as the program opens in their area.

Research indicates that children who take part in the Imagination Library read more frequently and perform better on reading and development tests than their peers. Furthermore, research shows the program increases parents' involvement in reading to their children.

No matter the genre of book - traditional tales and rhymes, beloved authors/illustrators or new titles - children develop an enthusiasm for reading and an inquisitive nature. Furthermore, books help children build a positive relationship with literature while inspiring them to reach for the stars.

The Imagination Library also provides resources for parents and caregivers, such as coloring sheets, activity pages, educational videos, and tips on reading with your child. All these items can be found on the Imagination Library Parent Resource page.

Swansea University's study suggests the Imagination Library could be an effective tool in raising literacy levels and encouraging parents to read more to their kids. It found that children who received books from the Imagination Library had a more positive attitude toward reading, while parents who read alongside their child often had more knowledge about how best to support their development as readers.

How do I register my child for the Imagination Library?

Country music star Dolly Parton is the librarian to nearly 2 million children around the world, thanks to her Imagination Library program that delivers personalized, age-appropriate books each month since 1995. Participating children receive this service at no cost - The Imagination Library!

The Imagination Library has been an effective way to foster early literacy and reading skills among children. It provides books tailored specifically for each child's age group, encouraging them to become lifelong readers. Furthermore, parents are encouraged to read with their kids which has been proven to have a beneficial effect on their educational progress.

Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library in Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up. But soon she recognized that this program needed to be replicated nationwide and in 2000 launched a national replication effort; today, millions of books are sent each month to children across America.

The Imagination Library's Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee, a panel of early childhood education experts, selects each book according to age-appropriateness for each child and updates the list annually with new titles.

In addition to the books, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library also provides resources for parents and caregivers to use with their children. These materials include parenting tips, printable worksheets and extra stories.

To register your child for the Imagination Library, navigate to their website and click "Register Your Child." You can do this either online or by filling out an official registration form. After doing this, Imagination Library will mail your child their first book within 8 to 10 weeks.

You can also check with your local public library to see if the Imagination Library is available in your area. This free service is made possible through partnerships between organizations and volunteers in the community, ensuring all children in the area have access to this amazing program.

The Imagination Library is supported by donations and grants to local community affiliates. In Door County, this program is spearheaded by the Door County Partnership for Children and Families.