Imagination Library of Franklin County

The Dollywood Foundation Announces “Give Like Dolly Day” on September 25, Encouraging the World to Make a Difference in a Child’s Life

Give Like Dolly Day honors Dolly’s lifelong commitment to children and her Imagination Library

Today, we’re celebrating the people who “Give Like Dolly”.

To everyone in our Franklin County community who has donated, volunteered, spread the word, partnered with Imagination Library of Franklin County (ILFC) or simply believes every child should have books of their own: Thank You.

Because of you, 726 children in Franklin County received a free book in September through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Your generosity helps bring the joy of reading into homes, spark imaginations, and create special moments between children and the people who love them.

Dolly often called her Local Imagination Library Partners the “true heroes” of her program. ILFC is grateful to have a community that continues that spirit of giving.

Thank you for helping us carry on Dolly’s legacy by giving back to the children of Franklin County.

In celebration of Dolly’s life and giving heart, Franklin County Public Library is adding an extra story to the dial-a-story menu for September.

Call 765-547-7547 option 925 to hear “Coat of Many Colors” by Dolly Parton.

 

 

 

Did you know?

• 1995 – Dolly Parton started Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee to honor her father who could not read and to showcase the value of education.
• 2000 – Imagination Library began a national replication effort.
• 2025 – Dolly’s program operates in 21 statewide programs in the USA and in 5 countries: USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. It gifts over 3 million high quality, age-appropriate books each month to children around the world.

 

Did you know?

Several characteristics make Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) unique among all children’s reading programs:

• Focuses on pre-school age children– birth to 5 years old
• Is available to every child– birth to 5, without regard to socio-economic status, helping families create home libraries
• Promotes adult engagementthrough provided interactive literacy activities
• Utilizes the local community as a stakeholderfor support (our local Imagination Library of Franklin County organization pays for the books and postage)
  • Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is designed to help families create home libraries, establish reading routines, and encourage literacy activities.

Did you know? 

• Reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity leading to literacy acquisition.
• A child’s brain grows to 80% of its full size by age 3.
• In the first few years of life, a child’s brain builds 700 connections per second.
• Reading to a child in an interactive style raises a child’s IQ by 6 points.
• By age 3, children from low-income families hear 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers.
• In middle income neighborhoods the book to child ratio is 13-1, compared to 1-300 in low-income neighborhoods.
• Children with as few as 25 books in the home complete an average of two more years of schooling than those with no books.
• Vocabulary development by age 3 has been found to predict achievement by third grade.
• 48% of children in the USA are read to each day.

Did you know?

• In August 2007, the Imagination Library of Franklin County (ILFC) was initiated.  The purpose of ILFC is to serve every preschool child in Franklin County with their own library of books that would encourage a love of reading and learning.  It is also to provide each month, from the day the child is born until his/her fifth birthday, a book which arrives in the mail addressed to the child.   The books provided are age appropriate to the development of such positive themes as self-esteem and confidence, regard for diversity and appreciation of art. The establishment of the ILFC is an illustration of the passion the community has for helping others.
• ILFC is self- funded and obtains the money to pay for the monthly book orders and postage for enrolled children in our county through donations from individuals, businesses, and civic organizations, and through grants.  Please consider becoming a sustaining donor –a $30 donation funds the program for one child for one year.  Donations can be sent to: Imagination Library of Franklin County, 919 Main Street, Brookville, IN  47012.
• Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library became a statewide program in Indiana in 2023.  It increased enrolled children and the state paid ½ the cost of books and postage.  The funding for this program is no longer in the state budget.

*Information for this article came from The Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (of Tennessee) at www.governorsfoundation.org AND An Impact Analysis:  Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee AND November, 2024 The Dollywood Foundation (ImaginationLibrary.com)

 

 

To enroll a child in ILFC, please scan the QR code below.

 

 

 

ILFC Board members:  Amanda Herbert, Denise Handley, Linda Rosenberger, Dave Willhelm, Michelle Moster, Katie Deaton, Nancy Hawkins, Melinda Brown. and Velda Clark;  Honorary Board member: Don Jobe.

Amanda Herbert	Denise Handley	Linda Rosenberger	Dave Willhelm	Michelle Moster
Katie Deaton	Nancy Hawkins	Melinda Brown	Velda Clark	Don Jobe