In 1995, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL), to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee, USA.
Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. The new program gave each child a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, Dolly wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could ensure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income.
Since its launch, the DPIL has set and surpassed many goals and milestones. National replication, which started in 2000, allowed more and more communities to adopt the program. State-wide coverage was established in Tennessee in 2004. Furthermore, international growth provided expansion in Canada (2006), United Kingdom (2007), and Australia (2014).
Most counties in Nebraska are already participating in this exciting program, and it is coming to Wayne County.
Wayne State Education faculty Dr. Kim Snyder and Mrs. Abbie Baack felt this project would be a very worthwhile endeavor, considering how much exposure to literature impacts child development. Baack is the advisor for the WSC NSEA Aspiring Educators, the student group who will manage the DPIL for Wayne County. The group will be responsible for marketing, fundraising, and tracking applications.
Find the complete information in the April 2 edition in The Wayne Herald or subscribe today by clicking here.
