The Imagination Library
What is the Imagination Library?
Launched by country music star Dolly Parton and The Dollywood Foundation, the Imagination Library fosters a love of reading among preschool children by providing them with a free hardcover book every month from birth to the age of five. Rotary clubs and districts are encouraged to support literacy through the Imagination Library.
Who benefits from the Imagination Library?
Over 675,000 children under the age of five receive books from the Imagination Library each month. The program supports early childhood literacy and a life long love of reading. Over 40 million books have been donated to children since the program began in 1996.
Where is the Imagination Library?
Currently, the Imagination Library has programs in over 1,700 communities across Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
How does it work?
Rotary clubs and other community groups help make the Imagination Library work. Participating communities provide access to the program for all preschool children in their area. They promote the program, register children with the Imagination Library, and pay for the books and mailing. Once a child is registered, the Dollywood Foundation takes over sending the child a new book each month.
How are the books selected?
A committee composed of individuals with backgrounds in education, child development, academia, and early childhood literacy select the books for the Imagination Library. The children’s classic The Little Engine That Could™ is the first book of each library and Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come by Nancy Carlson is the final book in the collection. Each book arrives in a polybag and is addressed to the child.
How much does it cost?
Local communities are billed each month based upon the number of books mailed to their children. The average cost of the books, labeling and mailing is US$28.00; CAN$43.00 and UK £24 per year per child. The only additional expense is the cost of registration brochures, which is based upon the size of the order.
What else can my club do to help?
Your club can design additional projects around the book donations. Once you have set up an Imagination Library project, contact rotary.service@rotary.org to share your successes.
Where can I learn more?
Visit the Imagination Library website, www.imaginationlibrary.com , or contact:
The Dollywood Foundation
2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, USA
Telephone: (865) 428-9604
Fax: (865) 428-9612
E-mail: ddotson@dollyfoundation.com
Rotary Service (PD220)
Rotary International
1560 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201-3698, USA
Telephone: (847) 866-3301
Fax: (847) 556-2182
E-mail: rotary.service@rotary.org
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