Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Washington County

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

In 2022, Washington County Public Library (Library) became a community sponsor for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. The initiative centered on a book-gifting effort, which forwarded free reading materials to children. A commitment to the program would be stopped when eligible children had reached school-age levels. We live in a rural, disadvantaged community. Findings over several decades indicate that impoverished children who participate in high-quality early-learning activities gain approximately one year of additional learning. In our rural area, this is significant. Purpose: • Ensure community children were exposed to free books, regardless of family income, social status, or home location. • Expand availability of children’s books by enrollment in a direct-mailing effort. • Reduce the school-readiness gap in socially-disadvantaged children. • Offer preschoolers new knowledge by increasing their skills, changing their attitudes, and modifying their behavior. • Have disadvantaged children enter kindergarten well-prepared. Outcomes: • Local children received specially selected books mailed directly to their homes. • The availability of children’s books throughout Washington County (County) was expanded. • Children were introduced to topics that strengthened emotional intelligence. Themes examined topics such as racism, bullying, kindness, diversity, and empathy, with narratives being delivered from a child’s perspective. • It helped caregivers direct their children away from media gadgetry.