By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
The Wood County District Public Library is partnering with Dolly Parton to provide free books to the county’s youngest residents.
Library Director Michael Penrod told the library’s trustees Monday afternoon that an effort is underway to have Wood County join the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. And they gave him the authority and funds to pursue the effort.
The program delivers by mail a book a month to children age birth to kindergarten regardless of income.
The country music legend started it originally for Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up.
In a story from the PBS Newshour, Parton explained it was in honor of her father who was illiterate, something she feels held him back from realizing his potential.
Since its inception in 1995 it has grown throughout the United States and four other English speaking countries. According to its website, https://imaginationlibrary.com/about-us, it has delivered more than 100 million books.
The program relies on having a local affiliate to pick up the local costs of the program.
To serve all the eligible children in Wood County would cost $172,000. And that was a barrier.
But Ohio’s first lady Frances DeWine learned about the program through her grandchildren and wondered how it could be offered statewide.
So the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library initiative was launched to create 88 county projects. The governor’s office has created foundation, headed by Mary Sabin, to help fund the project. That state foundation will match 50 percent of the cost.
Penrod said the eight library directors in Wood County met to see how they could facilitate the project.
The affiliate organization for the county will be the United Way. The United Way will serve as fiscal agent and take care of securing long-term funding.
But to get going the project must come up with enough money to serve 35 percent of the target population. That would cost about $30,000. The library directors decided that they would pony up the initial amount based on what percent of the eligible population their libraries serve.
Wood County District serves a few over 49 percent, so its share would be $14,828.
“This would be a great way to bring this early literacy program of all children of Wood County,” Penrod said.
Access to books is important in preparing children for success in school, and poverty is the greatest barrier to those resources.
The libraries could serve as a focal point to enroll children in the program. Penrod said he was told to expect that the numbers would probably top out at enrolling 60 percent of the population.
The local affiliate would send the names of the enrolled children. Every month the Imagination Library figures out how many books it needs in each category. Working through the publisher Penguin, special editions bearing the Imagination Library logo featuring Parton’s image are printed, and then mailed out.
Penrod said that Children’s Librarian Maria Simon reviewed the books offered, and praised the selection. They include new books as well as classics such as “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Jack Keats and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.
The books are selected by a committee of children’s literature experts.
