Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Miami County has reached a significant milestone, celebrating a decade of providing books to children in the community. The program, initiated by the Troy-Miami County Public Library, has been successful in distributing specially selected, high-quality books to children’s homes each month, from birth until they turn five, at no cost to the families.
Rachelle Via, the director of Troy-Miami County Public Library, expressed gratitude for the community’s generous financial support, emphasizing that the program has delivered over 424,000 books to more than 12,000 children in Miami County since its inception in 2014.
The Imagination Library supplies books to children and contributes to their academic, social, and emotional development, better preparing them for school. According to Andrea Wackler, Programs and Services Manager at the library, studies have shown that books in the home positively impact family literacy habits and kindergarten readiness.
Imagination Library Success
The program’s success is evident in the results of independent studies, with 41 studies indicating a positive and significant impact on family literacy habits, kindergarten readiness, and supporting grade-level reading by third grade. Surveys of Miami County parents further support these statistics, revealing a 26 percent increase in parents reading to their children several times a week after enrolling in the program.
The costs for running the program average about $9,000 per month due to the enrollment of over 4,300 children in Miami County. Fortunately, Governor DeWine established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio in 2019, funding half of these costs. The community’s continued support is crucial as the library aims to fundraise for the program over the next decade.
Want to learn more about the Imagination Library? Learn more below.
What is the Imagination Library?
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting initiative that provides free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, regardless of their family’s income.
How long does it take to start receiving books?
The first book will take up to 12 weeks and will be monthly after that.
Are the books age-appropriate?
Yes!
Interested in signing up?
For those interested in learning more about the program, can contact Rachelle Via or Andrea Wackler at the library at 937-339-0502 or visit their website here.
