Dolly Parton's Imagination Library awarded by Library of Congress
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library recently received recognition from the Library of Congress.
Last week, the Library of Congress announced organizations that received the 2021 Library of Congress Literacy Awards. The Library of Congress Literacy Awards began in 2013 to recognize organizations working to expand literacy and promote reading.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which originated in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, was awarded the 2021 David M. Rubenstein Prize worth $150,000.
Parton founded the program in 1995. Parton's Imagination Library initially delivered books to children in Tennessee, but quickly expanded worldwide. The goal of the Imagination Library is to help accelerate children's development through reading.
The program provides a free book in the mail each month for all children who enroll from birth to age 5.
In 2018, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mailed 100 million books to children and in 2020, it surpassed 150 million books.
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"Although mailing the books to each child’s home is only one aspect of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, it is a remarkable feat that helps improve literacy on an international scale and creates special moments for children and families," the Library of Congress wrote on its website.
In 2020, Ohio's first lady wanted to see more children sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
Last year, first lady Fran DeWine encouraged more children to enroll on the same day as a new documentary about Parton's Imagination Library premiered “The Library That Dolly Built” which provides a behind-the-scenes look at the program.
In 2019, the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library Program partnered with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to spread the program throughout Ohio. By 2020, every child in the state of Ohio was able to enroll in the Imagination Library.
The Ohio General Assembly has $16 million in funds to continue putting more books in the hands of children across Ohio.