WACO, TEXAS, December 12, 2020 – Today, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a free book-gifting program for children from birth until their 5th birthday, launched in Waco, Texas through affiliate partner, Imagination Library of Waco. The program allows parents living in eligible zip codes to enroll their children to receive one age-appropriate book per month until their 5th birthday. Books are mailed directly to the children. Imagination Library gives all families the opportunity to amass a library of colorful, educational books which are aimed at making children ready for kindergarten.
Imagination Library reduces barriers to early childhood education by making books accessible to children at the ages when their brains are growing and developing the most. Often times, parents are unable to afford new books, unable to make it to the library during library hours, or are hesitant to bring their children to public places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Imagination Library delivers brand new books directly to a child’s mailbox every month. The average retail price of Imagination Library books is $13, however, the Dollywood Foundation has negotiated a total cost of $2.10 per book, including shipping.
Parents can enroll online at http://www.ImaginationLibraryWaco.org or can pick an enrollment form located at participating community partners, including the Waco-McLennan County Libraries. Additionally, mothers delivering at Ascension Providence will have the opportunity to enroll newborns prior to leaving the hospital.
Imagination Library is funded at the local level and relies on donations of community partners to keep the program running. Imagination Library of Waco currently serves five eligible zip codes and is fundraising to expand into all zip codes in McLennan County.
For more information, please contact Kevin Baker or visit http://www.ImaginationLibraryWaco.org.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation has mailed well over 100 million free books in Australia, Canada, The Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom and the United States. The Imagination Library mails more than 1.4 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring them to dream. The impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.
- Press Contact: Kevin Baker
- Affiliate Name: Imagination Library of Waco
- Press Contact Email: kevinbaker.tn@gmail.com
Imagination Library of Waco 