Eight years ago, the Rotary Clubs of Linn County embarked on a mission to help the children of Linn County become better readers by improving their early literacy. To accomplish this goal, the Rotary Clubs of Linn County partnered with the United Way of Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties to bring the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children in Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties. This program has proven successful.
The Imagination Library, started by Dolly Parton in 1995, aims to improve early literacy skills in children from birth to age five. The program provides a hand-selected, age-appropriate, high-quality book each month to registered children until the child enters kindergarten. At the end of each book are activities and questions that encourage parents to interact with their children, thus strongly encouraging parent/child bonding.
Over the past eight years, approximately 10,000 Linn County children have participated in the program. Currently, there are more than 3,800 children registered, with nearly 600 of those coming from Sweet Home.
The books are free to the enrolled families, thanks to donations and support from local businesses and organizations such as Umpqua Bank, Coastal Farm, US Bank, Weyerhaeuser, Samaritan Health, the Albany and Sweet Home libraries, the Sweet Home Community Foundation, the Linn County Early Learning Hub, and the Rotary Clubs of Albany, Greater Albany, Lebanon, and Sweet Home. The United Way of Linn, Benton, and Lincoln counties is the main organization in charge of the day-to-day functions of the Linn County Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. Several years ago, the program expanded to Benton and Lincoln counties.
This program significantly impacts participating children as they enter kindergarten. Over the past several years, research has shown that kindergarten students participating in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program have outscored nonparticipating students in their early literacy skills by over 30%. Early reading success significantly affects a child’s education. Children reading at grade level in third grade are 85% more likely to graduate from high school.
This program is free to children ages birth to five. If you would like to know more about the program or register your child, please visit the United Way of Linn, Benton, & Lincoln Counties website at unitedwaylbl.org.