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Dolly Parton’s library gifts free books to kids

Words by Smiley Team

Reading can take children to a whole new world. It can improve their imagination, creativity, and, of course, their basic language skills. 

But for many kids in the UK, having a steady supply of books is not something they’re used to. 

The Imagination Library hopes to change that – it’s a book gifting programme devoted to inspiring a love of reading in children everywhere, and it donates books to children from birth to the age of five, no matter their family’s income. 

The scheme is run by the Dollywood Foundation UK, which is a partner of the US charity, where the library project originally started. Dolly Parton gives a share of her profits to fund these foundations – this covers the operational costs, and the foundations simply need funds through local programmes to help purchase the books.

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Dolly initially started the idea because she had no books in her home as a child and her father was illiterate. It’s important to her that kids grow up with books – and she’s also passionate that all children can be enriched by the programme. 

Helen Hastle, a regional director of the Dollywood Foundation in the UK, explains that the foundation partners with local organisations, who then register children in the area and pay for the costs of the books and postage. 

The Imagination Library in the UK distributes 48,000 books a month to children. They buy these books through Penguin Random House, who sell them at a reduced rate, meaning they can get these books and deliver them to the child for an average of £2.08 each.

Children will get different books based on their age and stage in their development. “We take that really seriously,” says Helen. “We have a book selection committee who picks the titles and slots them in.”

They’ll choose board books with bright colours and faces for babies, up to complex tales for older children. The books are as diverse and inclusive as possible, so all children will see themselves represented. 

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The first book children receive, as a baby, is a special edition of the tale of Peter Rabbit, with a foreword written by Dolly herself. Then, the month the child turns five, they’ll receive the book Just Imagine by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart – which they call a ‘Graduation Book’ – and also has a foreword written by Dolly. 

Lots of different organisations sign up to be a partner – some are small charity groups, nurseries, local schools, as well as local authorities too. Some will pay for the entire funding of the book themselves, while others will have a blended funding approach.

On the Imagination Library website, people can select from a list of partners who receive donations and pick their local programme to help fund more children to get the books.

Want to find out more or support the library? You can donate to support local projects that will gift books to children. To set up your own local programme, get in touch with Helen Hastle.  

To get your Dolly Parton bedtime reading fix with your child, you can try Goodnight with Dolly stories.

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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