MARTIN CO. – Martin County is working to bring the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to its children.
Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a high-quality, age-appropriate book to all registered children, addressed to them at no cost to the child’s family. Countless parents have shared how excited their children are when their new book arrives each month. Many groups and individuals work hard behind the scenes to make that special moment possible for each child.
After launching in 1995, the program increased. The first books were only distributed to children living in Sevier County, Tennessee, where Dolly grew up. It became such a success that in 2000, a national replication effort was underway. By 2003, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books. It would be the first of millions of books sent to children worldwide.
Dolly’s home state of Tennessee pledged to pursue statewide coverage in 2004, and global expansion was on the horizon. After the United States, the program launched in Canada in 2006, followed by the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013, and the Republic of Ireland in 2019.
Together, Dolly Parton and her book gifting organization have received honors and awards for their dedication to enriching the lives of children everywhere.
The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, the Best Practices award from the Library of Congress Literacy Awards, and recognition in Reading Psychology are just a few of the prestigious acknowledgments the program has received.
You can help the children of Martin County receive free books by donating by mail to the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth to support this initiative.
