Dolly Parton Helps Local Kids Get Free Books

Photo from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library’s Facebook page.

Survey results are in from the first five years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Door County 

The first five years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in Door County have had a significant impact, according to data from 442 surveys completed by local caregivers of children in the program.

The program, started by Parton in 1995, sends children ages 0-5 a book in the mail every month. 

Administered locally by the Door County Partnership for Children and Families, the program reached Door County in January 2019, with about 100 children participating. Now, 784 children receive a book monthly, while 702 are “graduates” of the program.

Caregivers of children registered in the program can share a before-and-after view of their family’s reading habits via survey.

Key points from that survey include the following: 

• The number of children’s books in respondents’ homes increased to at least 120 in each home. Every participant’s number of books increased.
• The percentage of parents who read daily with their children increased from 26% to 53%, while the percentage of parents who read with their children 4-6 times per week increased from 27% to 36%.
• The number of families who discussed a book daily increased from 70 to 173. 

The data also indicates the Imagination Library reaches households with varying income levels and educational backgrounds. It put books in the hands of over 231 Door County children from households that need subsidies to meet basic needs.