DOLLY PARTON© S IMAGINATION LIBRARY Dolly Parton’s

Imagination Library ...coming to a child near you!

experienced by children when they receive their very own book in the post, is a key element of the programme. It is a simple yet powerful way to stimulate an interest in reading, often giving parents an impetus to start reading more with their child. There have been some encouraging

results; the main effect of Dolly’s Imagination Library is a sharp increase in the time parents spend reading with their child. Other academic studies have found correlations between the number of books in the home and the eventual educational attainment of a child, regardless of parental income or education levels.

If you would like more information, please visit www.imaginationlibrary.com or contact Natalie Turnbull, Imagination Library UK Director, email: nturnbull@imaginationlibrary.co.uk

The UK’s first Imagination Library was set up in Rotherham. Here Dolly explains how her Imagination Library was introduced and her plans for its future:

What made you decide to bring your Imagination Library to the UK? Well, I have Roger Stone from Rotherham Council to thank for pushing me towards the decision. It was a new one for me being stalked by a man wanting me to start a children’s program in his area! In all seriousness, my first thought was that it was a little early for us to be taking this idea to another country. But I owe Roger all of the credit in the world ‘cause he got us to thinking and made us return to what we do best – make our dreams come true. To what extent are you involved in the running of the Imagination Library? I am certainly smart enough to leave the day to day operation to the people who know what they are doing. I approach it the same way I approach Dollywood and any other business I’m involved in– I like to be involved in the big picture issues so I am on the Board and I swing a mean gavel.

Has it been difficult to set up a UK Imagination Library – what have been the main challenges? Probably the hardest thing is making sure that we successfully take our experience in America and make it a UK program. We use books published in the UK and

selected by a special committee of local professional folks. We created a new foundation in the UK and have hired a British employee to oversee the day to day operations. How many times have we taken one of your television shows and made it our own? This is sort of the same thing – but going the other way. I hope you can take this program and make it your own smash hit! What is the future of the Imagination Library in the UK and the world? I would love to see every single child in the UK have the opportunity to be a part of the programme. I know that’s a big dream but you know – I have always been a mighty big dreamer. Do you read much and what are your favourite children’s books? I read all of the time – I like books about the south and I love to trade books with friends. Reading inspires writing – so I spend much of my life reading and writing. My two favourite children’s

books are The Little Engine that Could and The Tale of Peter Rabbit. The Little Engine is in the North American Imagination Library and of course, Peter Rabbit is the first book every child receives in the UK Imagination Library.

PTA-UK Magazine November 2012

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