A British mother has praised Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for helping her young son develop a love of reading, as the book-gifting scheme continues after the star's death.
Christina Partington, 37, from Essex, is mother to Louis, four, and Penelope, one. The family enrolled in the library two years ago after a local councillor invited them to join. She has noticed significant growth in Louis since he began receiving the books.
“He is excited for his present from Dolly every month when he sees it on the door mat. We have read to him every day and he’s starting school in September and is starting to read and write some simple words. Having access to books from an early age has given him the foundation to develop these amazing literacy skills,” she said.
Scheme founded in 1995
The Imagination Library was launched by Dolly Parton in 1995 in her native Tennessee, in honour of her father, who could not read or write but who she considered the smartest man she knew. The scheme sends children a free, age-appropriate book addressed personally to them every month from birth until they turn five.
The programme expanded around the world, with Dolly launching it in the UK in 2007 and the first books sent to children the following year. Since then, she has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across the world, including in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and the Republic of Ireland.
Impact on vulnerable children
Among those to benefit is Essex Virtual School, a team of education experts and advisers which tracks and champions the education of vulnerable children. The virtual school has been signed up to the scheme for four years and has noticed a “huge” difference.
Sharon Halsey, PEP and virtual school operational lead, said: “On average the charity has provided around 100 books a month for children in care and those known to social care under the age of five... It’s been very positive, the families that have had the books have said it’s been lovely to get a new book each month, to be able to share that with the child. It creates bonding and conversation.”
“Nationally every body saw libraries have seen a decline for visits from families, because the pressures from lives. It was an additional offer for our younger cohort. It goes through the post marked for the young person themselves, it’s really personal to them. The books are focused on the age of the child, and if there is a young person that has special needs there can be a request that their books are aimed at a lower age group.”
Philanthropy and legacy
The Imagination Library operates through around 100 local partner organisations in the UK, including local authorities, councils and charities. It has also expanded to include bilingual and braille books and is funded through her Dollywood Foundation and local community programme partners.
Dolly set up the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 with the aim of helping children in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee, succeed at school and improve graduation rates. Three years later, she launched the Buddy Program in a bid to tackle the number of youngsters dropping out of school. Pupils were asked to pair up with a fellow student, with Dolly promising each of them $500 if they both went on to graduate. The initiative was credited with helping cut the local dropout rate from 35 per cent to just six per cent.
Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of the Dollywood Foundation, said the Imagination Library was particularly close to the star’s heart. He said: "A lot of people know Dolly in a lot of different ways. She was so talented, you know, as a songwriter and a musician and an actress. But, I think one of the most special things about her was just how big her heart was for all people and humanity and especially for this program, inspiring children."
He added: "And so when she got the opportunity to build something like the Imagination Library and give that gift to millions of children and families around the world and do that in a way that honored her father and her mother, I just really can’t think of anything that was more important to her."
The Imagination Library will continue following Dolly’s death, with the Dollywood Foundation saying the programme was built to “last for generations”.
