What had began as a gesture to motivate the students of a rural high school in small-town Tennessee has become one of the most prolific and beneficial educational endeavors ever undertaken. Currently 138 youngsters from Alba-Golden, Quitman and Yantis have joined 2.5 million children in receiving books free-of-charge from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. 

At the height of her musical career, Parton (referred to here by her nationally-recognized first name, Dolly) returned to eastern Tennessee and sought to make an impact at a local high school. The original project awarded a monetary stipend of $500 to each junior high student who stayed in school and graduated high school. While the initiative was deemed a success, it became clear to Dolly that in order to make real, sustained changes in young people, the effort had to start much, much earlier in a child’s development.

The idea began to take shape. What if books were provided – one each month – to every child throughout their first five years of life? Numerous studies had concluded that early exposure to books by children greatly facilitated their development and eventual scholastic success. 

The project started locally in Tennessee in 1995. It met with such rapid success that in a short five years it had expanded nationally. 

The recipe was simple. Dolly and her foundation negotiated with Penguin Publishing to secure dramatically-reduced rates for book publishing. How dramatic? Today, the average cost of a newly-printed Imagination Library book is less than $2.25.

Having secured – based on anticipated volume of book orders – such a low rate for printing, the foundation seeks local sponsors who will commit to funding the initiative.  In the United States, the efforts are generally defined by ZIP code.

The local sponsors fund the individual costs per child. That cost is $26 per child per year. Additionally, the local sponsor maintains a registration and monitors book delivery.  Building a relationship with the local post office is also a critical aspect of program success. 

As Imagination Library Regional Director Michelle Anthony said, “Our mission is to get books in the hands of kids and inspire their love of books and reading.”

She described how an early love of reading fuels a child’s natural curiosity and opens up so much of the natural world around them. Additionally, Anthony noted how early exposure to books and reading has been proven to create a significant “leap-ahead” in learning at the third-grade level. 

The mechanics are pretty straightforward. Two months after registration the first book will arrive. Thereafter, the books arrive punctually each month. They are newly-printed and addressed to each child. 

The scope of the Imagination Library is bounded from birth to age five. So, should a child be registered upon birth they would accumulate a personal library of 60 top-quality books.

Anthony recounted how, when recently visiting a school, she witnessed two kindergarteners discussing their book titles. “I have that one, too!” one child had exclaimed to another.

In today’s environment, the subject of book titles is a politically-charged issue. Dolly’s Library takes this very seriously. A book selection committee, composed of veteran educators and writers with years of practical experience, reviews all selections for age-appropriate learning objectives.

Each year’s group of titles must also serve some guiding themes and concepts. For instance, in the second year the books will touch on daily routines; in the third year, values and character; and in the fifth year, school preparation. 

The list of books issued is continually adjusted and evolving. That list is available for viewing at Dolly’s Library website “imaginationlibrary.com/usa/book-list/.

The success of the Imagination Library is quite impressive. After going national in 2000, three states – Tennessee, Montana and California – have committed to being local sponsors. The program has also gone international with books being funded for distribution in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. 

It is locally, however, where the real benefits are realized. In Wood County the first books from the Imagination Library were delivered in July. That was the result of the local sponsor – the Pilot Club of Quitman. 

Pilot Club member Susan Ukleja explained, “We received a briefing from Rains County activist Lyn Baldwin about their program, took an initial vote to study the issue and went to work.” After doing the requisite homework, the Pilot Club voted, in May, to become an Imagination Library sponsor.   

That decision was not taken lightly. Given the charter of the library initiative, it obligates the sponsor to perpetual financial support. Ukleja commented that the club initially raised three years of funding and is confident in the ability to maintain required funding levels. 

The national foundation also now has years of historical data on participation percentages and cost projections. The area sponsored by the Pilot Club is composed of ZIP codes 75410 (Alba), 75444 (Golden), 75497 (Yantis) and 75783 (Quitman). Within that area, it is anticipated that 550 children will come to benefit from the library. Historically, across all areas served by the library, about 70% of the target population will be registered to receive books.

The matching of the correct sponsor with a manageable area is key to local success. Some programs, begun in areas that experienced rapid population growth, have actually come to fail. That is, however, a rare occurrence. 

Ukleja commented, “Reaching the parents is our primary concern going forward.” She has been very busy with visits to schools and Vacation Bible Schools through the spring and summer. 

As one of the most well-known personages in the country, Dolly continues to lead the Imagination Library with the investment of her time and energy. A life-sized cut-out of Dolly has been making its way through Quitman to increase the visibility of the program. It is presently on the banking floor of Origin Bank. 

“Dolly’s giving heart was the genesis of the library and continues to be the single greatest influence,” stated Anthony.

Years ago, Dolly Parton recorded a duet with Kenny Rogers. The operative line in that song was “You can’t make old friends.” In a uniquely Dolly-kind-of-way, her desire to give young people the best chance in life is equipping them with a bookcase full of old friends.