Since 1995 Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has given away 2.5 million free high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to children around the world until the child turns five years old. The Beckham County’s Imagination Library is joining her in the celebration of the 200 million milestone with a special bookmark delivery. The bookmarks will be mailed out to seven lucky winners in September.
“Seven random children/families in five countries who find the Dolly bookmarks in their Imagination Library books will receive, if they choose, a video chat with Dolly, a personalized signed letter from Dolly, an autographed photo from Dolly, and four Dollywood Theme Park tickets. The Dollywood Foundation will also donate $2,000 USD/CAD/AUD or £2,000 GBP on behalf of the child to their Local Imagination Library Partner in their community as a thank you to who Dolly calls, the true heroes of her program,” according to Dolly’s website.
Parton’s inspiration for the program was her father, because he was unable to read or write. She began the program in her hometown in Sevier County, Tenn. She says that she knows that there are children in communities with big dreams and those dreams are seeded in books.
“It’s been one of my greatest gifts in life to help instill a love of reading through my Imagination Library. Reaching 200 million books worldwide is a major milestone that I’m so very proud of, and I want to thank all of our local program partners, funders and supporters from the bottom of my heart,” Parton wrote on her website.
According to Elk City Carnegie Library’s director, DeAun Ivester, the Beckham County program is championed by the Friends of the Library in Elk City and Sayre. The financial sponsors who make it happen are North Fork Electric Company, Hutchinson Oil Company, and Joe and Vickie Hall, along with the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The OSDE provides a one-to-one matching contribution for the funds raised through an investment of the $2.5 million federal pandemic relief funds.
“The program is to get our kids back on track and help build critical literacy skills before they even step foot in pre-k. We currently have 530 children enrolled for Beckham County and 74 have graduated already. There have been 604 children who have received books through this local program,” Ivester reported.
Parents can sign up for the Imagination Library by going to the Elk City Carnegie Library’s website, www.elkcity.com/library, and find the link to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. There they can sign up their child for the free books. To learn more about the program go to www.imaginationlibrary.com.
