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Parents may register children on line at www.imaginationlibrary.com
Registration forms are available at any Sullivan County Public Library: Bristol, Avoca, Kingsport, Sullivan County Library in Blountville and branches in Bloomingdale, Bluff City, Colonial Heights and Sullivan Gardens. Complete the form and mail to Sullivan County Imagination Library, 149 Pactolus Road, Kingsport, TN 37663.
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If you are interesting in being a contributor to Sullivan County Imagination Library click below.
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Volunteer Info
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The story of Dolly's Imagination Library
In 1996, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort to benefit the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county's preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family's income.
So she decided to mail a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under 5 in Sevier County. With the arrival of every child's first book, the classic The Little Engine That Could, every child could now experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mail box. These moments continue each month until the child turns 5-and in their very last month in the program they receive Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come.
From Dolly's Parton's Imagination Library ( www.dollysimaginationlibrary.com )
The Imagination Library is a specially chosen collection of books designed to spark a lifelong love of reading. After three years of success, Dolly agreed to help other communities replicate the program. The State of Tennessee and Governor Phil Bredesen are teaming with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program so that all preschoolers in Tennessee can have their own Imagination Library. In June 2004, Governor Phil Bredesen created Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation ( www.governorsfoundation.org ) to serve as a resource to fund the Imagination Library. To assist with the funding, Governor Phil Bredesen each year obtains the General Assembly’s approval to pay 50% of the cost!
The Sullivan County Imagination Library is a model of Dolly’s early program. All children who are legal residents of Sullivan County (including Bluff City, Bristol and Kingsport) from birth to age five can be registered for this program. Once registered, each child then receives a free age-appropriate book in the mail every month – sixty books in all if signed at birth. Every child will have books of their very own, at no cost to them, thanks to Governor Phil Bredesen and the State of Tennessee, Sullivan County Imagination Library, Dollywood Foundation and many other generous sponsors.
Local donations, pledges and endowed funds will be needed to fund the Imagination Library program. Governor Phil Bredesen designated $2 million in the current Tennessee state budget to help local counties by paying one-half of the cost of the books each month (Governor’s Books from Birth Foundation). We applaud this message from our Governor about the importance of this project. The Sullivan County Imagination Library needs help promoting this message so that everyone has an opportunity to make an investment of time and / or money. The cost of sponsoring one child is $27 per year, with a total cost of $135 to sponsor a child from birth to five years of age.
Sullivan County Imagination Library Registration and Cost:
October 2004 total books 310 with a cost of $418.50
October 2005 total books 3020 with a cost of $3761.29
October 2006 total books 4049 with a cost of $4436.74
October 2007 total books 4658 with a cost of $5422.14
October 2008 total books 5079 with a cost of $5834.21
October 2009 total books 4922 with a cost of $5847.22
Since the inception of the program there has been a total of 253,781 books delivered to children at a cost of $288,371 paid by the Sullivan County Imagination Library. A total of 11,532 preschoolers have enjoyed the books with 4,673 graduating as they celebrate their fifth birthday. There are currently 5,097 children in the program which is 60% of the estimated 8,500 population of children from birth to age 5. This program is definitely growing. Success is never achieved alone. With the increase in registration the need for additional funding is imperative.
Why did Sullivan County decide to become involved?
On May 29, 2003, three Sullivan County Librarians and three board members went to a state-wide workshop presented by the Friends of the Tennessee Libraries which encouraged local groups to start the program. An organizational meeting was held in October 2003 when other community leaders added their support. Other interested people quickly added their support and the Sullivan County Imagination Library Council was formed in March 2004. By July 2004, the Memorandum of Agreement between The Dollywood Foundation and the Kingsport Chamber Foundation was signed and plans were underway. The Dollywood Foundation manages each Imagination Library. The Foundation will provide each organization with promotional material and assistance in getting the program started.
How will this program be implemented locally?
After five years of operating as a program of the Kingsport Chamber Foundation, the Sullivan County Imagination Library has reorganized to form an independent organization with a new address, phone number and 501(c)3 designation to make your contributions tax deductible.
Currently the council has eighteen members with an additional twenty five committee members working on this project.
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