Dolly Partons Imagination Library

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Dolly Partons Imagination Library
Presented by Invest in Kids
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What is the Imagination Library?

• Preschool literacy program that provides children
  with a new, FREE, age-appropriate, hardcover book
  each month!
• Open to children from birth to age five,
  regardless of socioeconomic status!
• Ensures that children will have quality books in
  the home
• Inspires a love for reading and literacy

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What is the Imagination Library?

• Launched by Dolly Parton in 1996 to benefit the
  children in her hometown of Sevier County
• Program went NATIONWIDE in the U.S. in 2000
  there are now more than 480,000 children
  currently registered!
• 5 MILLION books were be mailed to children in
  2008!
• Dolly Partons Dollywood Foundation partnered
  with Invest in Kids and launched the Imagination
  Library in Canada in November, 2006

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Imagination Library in Canada

• Invest in Kids National charitable organization
  dedicated to helping parents become the parents
  they want and need to be by providing them with
  the necessary resources, knowledge, skills, and
  support

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What are the Benefits?

• Promotes and encourages a love of reading among
  children
• Helps ensure that children enter kindergarten
  with a strong ability to read and an eagerness to
  learn
• Strengthens the literacy level of your community
• Promotes parent-child interaction and bonding
• Provides FREE, high-quality, age-appropriate
  books to children

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What are the Benefits?

• Children who are read to at home every day tend
  to be better prepared to learn at school
• - National Longitudinal Survey of Children and
  Youth, Statistics Canada, 2007
• The latest science tells us that reading to our
  children does much more than please and delight
  them. It helps them to build a large vocabulary
  and a range of language skills such as good
  listening and comprehension skills, which will
  help him learn to communicate and which are also
  related to children's reading ability as they
  grow.
• - Canadian Language and Literacy Research
  Network

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What are the Benefits?

• Babies and toddlers are enriched by books. Even
  more important, the relationships between very
  young children and their parents are enriched by
  books. Books provide a source of mutual pleasure
  for parent and child that is likely to last a
  lifetime. We introduce infants and toddlers to
  books not simply because of what they will learn
  from them, but so that they will grow to love
  them. It is a gift beyond measure.
• - Zero to Three Journal, September, 1991. 

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How does the Program Work?

• The Dollywood Foundation partners with
  communities willing to bring this gift to the
  children in their area
• A community partner and sponsor are required to
  support the program
• fund the cost of books, postage, mailing, and
  administration
• receive registration forms, register children,
  promote the program
• The program is open to ALL children from birth to
  age 5 who reside in the defined and sponsored
  community

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The Beginnings of a Library!

• Children registered with the program receive a
  new, FREE, age-appropriate, hardcover book each
  month until their 5th birthday!
• Books are addressed to the child and mailed
  directly to their home! Canada Post and
  Canadian Mail Exchange
• First book The Little Engine That Could
• Last book Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for
  Kindergarten
• First and last books include a letter from Dolly
  Parton!

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The Beginnings of a Library!

• BONUS! Each book also comes with an Invest in
  Kids COMFORT, PLAY TEACH CARD that is specific
  to the individual childs age and developmental
  stage.
• Each Comfort, Play Teach card provides parents
  with helpful and beneficial tips on how to
  comfort, play with, and teach their child as they
  read their new book together.
• Compelling research evidence consistently
  emphasizes that when parents comfort, play
  with and teach their children in a
  positive manner it emphasizes the
  childrens development.

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The Book Selection Process!

• Books are selected by the Imagination Library
  Committee comprised of educators, child
  development experts, child psychologists, and
  childhood literacy professionals
• Books are selected for their age-appropriateness,
  developmental level, accuracy, language level,
  diversity, usage of pictures and words, etc.

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The Replication Process

• How to Bring the Imagination Library to Your
  Community!
• Decide where you want to replicate the Program
• Fundraising Secure a Sponsor
• Identify a Local Champion
• Complete the necessary paperwork
• Order registration brochures
• Receive operations manual
• Host Rollout event!

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STEP 1 Define Your Community

• Define the city, town, community or neighbourhood
  in which you would like to replicate the program
  in terms of
• City or town boundaries
• Neighbourhood
• School district
• Postal code
• A childs eligibility for the program depends
  ONLY on
• Childs age (between the ages of 0 5)
• Childs place of residence (must reside in
  defined community)

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STEP 1 Define Your Community

• Rememberit is NOT permissible to limit a childs
  registration based on
• Socioeconomics
• Risk factors
• Participation in certain programs
• Parental factors
• Religious beliefs
• Race or ethnicity
• Or by any means other than a childs age and
  place of residence!

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STEP 2 Secure a Sponsor

• The Dollywood Foundation and Invest in Kids cover
  all the administrative and overhead costs
  associated with the Imagination Library
• Creation and maintenance of registration database
• Book mailing system
• However, in order for the Imagination Library to
  be offered FREE to parents and children, the
  program requires a local sponsor.
• Local sponsor covers the monthly cost of books,
  labeling, postage and mailing - 5.00/child
• The Local sponsor also covers the cost of
  registration brochures and promotional material

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STEP 2 Secure a Sponsor

• Sponsors Include
• Local businesses
• Local foundations/non-profit organizations
• School systems
• Rotary Clubs
• Civic organizations
• Local government
• Faith-based groups
• Chambers of Commerce
• United Ways

The sponsor can be almost any organization, or
even an individual, who wants to make a profound
difference in the lives of their communitys
children!
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STEP 3 Select a Local Champion

• The local champion in each community has three
  primary responsibilities
• Register children for the Imagination Library
• Enter registration data into the Dollywood
  Foundation Canada registration database system
• Promote the program in the community!
• A local champion can be an individual or
  organization, such as an Early Years Centre,
  Child Development Organization, local Family
  Centre, local library, Municipal organization,
  etc.

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STEP 4 Complete Paperwork

• There are three pieces of information that must
  be filled out with the Dollywood Foundation
  Canada before beginning to register children
• Memorandum of Agreement
• Affiliate Information Sheet
• Promotional Order Form (used to order
  registration brochures and promotional materials)

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STEP 5 Order Reg. Brochures

• Registration brochures for each locality are
  ordered through the Dollywood Foundation Canada
• Brochures are customized with the community and
  sponsor information and logo
• A proof will be sent 5 days after the order is
  placed
• 4-6 weeks for delivery of brochures

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STEP 6 Operational Guide

• The Operations Training Manual and Reference
  Guide includes
• Library book list and descriptions
• Instructions on how to navigate the Dollywood
  Foundation Canada database system
• Instructions for placing the monthly book order
• Description of online registration process
• Tips on how to promote the program, along with a
  promotional items order form
• FAQ section

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STEP 7 Host Rollout Event!

• Intended to announce the launch of the
  Imagination Library in the community
• Opportunity to create a buzz, make a splash, and
  get people excited about the program!
• Opportunity to recognize and thank the sponsoring
  organization and local champion
• Chance to promote the Imagination Library

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STEP 7 Host Rollout Event!

• Some tips on how to host a successful and
  exciting rollout event in the community
• Involve local media
• Invite children and parents
• Involve local leaders and celebrities
• Register children on site
• Host the event in conjunction with other popular
  community events such as festivals,
  school-related events, fairs, etc.
• Have a local leader, or Invest in Kids
  spokesperson read a book from the Imagination
  Library to the children at the event

HAVE FUN AND BE CREATIVE!
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Rotary in Canada

• We became involved with The Imagination Library
  when we were setting our district objectives for
  community services. As we related the program to
  what Rotarys goals are nationally and
  world-wide, we felt that the Imagination Library
  did a wonderful job of promoting those values.
• Claire Derome, Rendevous Rotary Club of
  Whitehorse 5010

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Support for The Imagination Library

• I've worked with Invest in Kids for the last
  few years and both their initiatives in positive
  parenting and their whole organization deeply
  impresses me. As a father of two young children
  and the author of several children's books, I
  believe that The Imagination Library is truly
  beneficial to families in Canada.  Each month a
  parent and child can read a new book that will
  contribute to their child's development. There is
  nothing as important and as precious as that
  experience.
• - Evan Solomon

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A Message from Dolly Parton!
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Dolly Partons Imagination Library
Presented by Invest in Kids