Since 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has provided hundreds of thousands books to children. Interest in the program has grown since the legendary singer’s passing, as people around the world learn about Parton’s literary legacy.
For this edition of Bookmarks, we checked in with Angela Bassani, President and CEO of the United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne and Pike County. The United Way is the local partner for the Imagination Library, providing new books every month for children from birth through age five.
"Right now ... 2,800 children in Lackawanna County are able to receive those books every single month through the funding that we have locally," Bassani said. "We have an amazing group of volunteers who this is their passion project, and they do so much hard work."
Pennsylvania does not provide state funding for the program, so local funding comes from nonprofit partners.
Bassani says the United Way pays $30 for one year of books per child, and the national Imagination Library organization handles the rest of the cost and shipping.
"You know, when you do the math and you think that 2,800 children are receiving those books every single year, it adds up to $84,000 a year," she said.
Since Parton’s passing, Bassani says interest in the program has skyrocketed.
The Lackawanna County program has a waiting list of about 500 children, and they need donors to help those children enroll and start receiving books.
Bassani says people may assume that the national Imagination Library organization funds everything, but it takes local support to get books into the hands of local children.
"We're trying to spread the awareness that it is a partnership, and funds locally are really what make this happen locally," she said. "Not every county has a Dolly Parton Imagination Library, so we're lucky that we are able to have one here."
'My son looks for the books every month'
Laura Frank, brand and content coordinator for the United Way, knows firsthand how beneficial the Dolly Parton Imagination Library can be.
Both of her children are under five, and both look forward to finding a new book addressed to them in the mail every month.
"It's honestly been such a amazing experience," Frank said. "My son looks for the books every month now, and it's just a nice little treat to come home to."
Both her son and daughter have found some of their favorite books through the program.
"There's one called 'Ice Cream Face,' and there is another one … there's a new one that just came out that's called 'Forts.' We've literally just got it this month, and he loves it," she said. "My daughter is almost two years old, and she just got a book as well called 'Birding for Babies,' and it was just so cute and so unique, something that I wouldn't have thought to get myself."
Bassani hopes to see more people support the local Imagination Library in Parton’s honor, and the singer’s family has even asked her fans to give to the library.
"Dolly created the program because her father couldn't read, and she felt he would have went much further in life if he could have read," Bassani said. "So, she believes that getting books in the hands of children really gives them a pathway forward, and we believe the exact same thing."
To support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Lackawanna County, Bassani said anyone can donate using the United Way of Lackawanna, Wayne & Pike’s website.
That's all for this edition of Bookmarks! Join us again on Sept. 19 for more bookish tales.
