The Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Hardin County is celebrating the completion of its 10th year of existing in Hardin County.
The library is a unique early years book gifting program that mails a brand new, age-appropriate book to enrolled children every month from birth until five years of age, creating a home library of up to 60 books and instilling a love of books and reading from an early age.
Any community in the USA, Canada, Australia or UK may replicate the Imagination Library and sponsor the regular gifting of books to every child under five in their community.
Hardin County is one of over 1,300 communities to sponsor Dolly’s Imagination Library for over 650,000 children. During the past 10 years, it has distributed nearly 43,000 books to over 7,000 children in Hardin County.
Leadership of this literacy education program is generated by a volunteer local board of directors. Funding is received from United Way of Hardin County, Hardin County Community Foundation, Hardin County Shriners, local Masonic Lodges, and other organizations, families, and memorial donations.
In 2015, the library involved 891 children who received 7,845 books. Hardin County families can sign their children up to receive a monthly book at the national website https://imaginationlibrary.com. There is no charge to the families for the books or postage.
Each of the six Hardin County libraries will sponsoring celebrations Jan. 11 to 22.
Check with your local library for details or check the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Hardin County Facebook page. For more information or to make a donation, contact Annetta Holmes, Program Coordinator at [email protected].
