GRANT COUNTY IMAGINATION LIBRARY COALITION

 

 

January 2008:  Fairmount Public Library joined a small group of librarians and Grant County businesspeople to discuss joining the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program and bring it to Grant County.

 

 

 The Dolly Parton Imagination Libray program begain in 1996 in Dolly's home state of Tennessee.  Her foundation encourages parents and grandparents to sign up children from Birth to age 5.  Their names are added to a mailing database and Dolly's Foundation through local community organizations raise funds to purchase books and mail them out each month to the child's home.  The books are free to each child.

 

 

 April, 2008:  The Grant County Imagination Library Coalition is officially formed.  A grant from the Community Foundation was given; funds were recieved from the Fairmount Round Robins, the Friends of the Fairmount and Marion Libraries to get the group rolling.

 

 

 May, 2008:  A Community information meeting is held at the Marion Library at 6PM to introduce the program locally.  It is hoped that volunteers will be added to the core group to widen fundraising efforts.

 

 

 May 17:  Fairmount Public Library will be hosting a Summer Reading/Imagination Library Kick-off on the Library lawn.  Fun Services will be providing fun games for the children to participate in while parents are encouraged to sign their children up for the 2 programs.

 

 

 September, 2008:  To date, over 600 children have been enrolled in this program and have begun to see books mailed to them.

 

 

 It is estimated that for the number of children that live in Grant County, our group will need to raise approximately $191,000.00 to provide  the books/month to each child.

 

 

 The Coalition's goal is to foster the love of reading by introducing books into a child's home, encouraging families to read together before the child reaches school age.  Public library programs will also be promoted as a way to help continue the reading cycle.

  This is an ongoing program.  The Coalition is constantly looking for monetary donations in order to keep the books coming to those signed up as well as fund new children as they are signed up.