Dolly Parton's Imagination Library launches in Tulsa County
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has officially launched in Tulsa County.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children over the first five years of their lives. The program is free of charge to families and books are sent monthly.
To sign up for the library, click here.
“I’m so excited to be working with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to bring my Imagination Library to Oklahoma,” said Parton. “Together let’s inspire a love of reading and learning in every child in Oklahoma.”
The library helps to ensure all children reach their academic potential. A recent study shows that the Imagination Library improves kindergarten readiness and family literacy habits.
There are 65,000 eligible children under the age of five.
“I am thrilled for the launch of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Tulsa,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “We are grateful for Dolly's commitment to education and we are excited to partner with her on this important initiative. This program will provide children in our community with the gift of literacy and inspire a lifelong love of reading.”
Parton created the Imagination Library program in 1995 as a way to distribute books to the impoverished Tennessee County, where she grew up, and eventually Tennessee adopted the program statewide.
Last year, Oklahoma became the 12th state to achieve statewide coverage thanks to State Bill 1803, authored by Senator John Gaste and Representative Tammy Townley.
"The Tulsa City-County Library (TCCL) is thrilled to partner with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to embark on another endeavor in developing early literacy skills for children throughout Tulsa County. Like TCCL’s Build A Reader program, which inspires a love of reading through activities, events and workshops, the Imagination Library recognizes that adult primary caregivers play a critical role in their child's literacy skills and in forming positive associations with reading. By building a home library and experiencing stories together, the Imagination Library helps children establish positive connections with reading and with those who read to them," said Kimberly Johnson, CEO of the Tulsa City-County Library.
The program is made possible through a partnership with the Birth through Eight Strategy for Tulsa, an initiative of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa City-County Library, Oklahoma State Department of Education and The Dollywood Foundation.