United Way is proud to partner with the Holland Theatre to host the World Premiere of THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT. This behind-the-scenes film showcasing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a one-night, nationwide event originally planned for Thursday April 2, but has since been postponed to a to-be-determined date. It will be screened in just 325 communities around the country. Logan County ranks second in Ohio with more than 60 percent of preschoolers under the age of five enrolled in the early childhood literacy program. United Way partnered with the Lewis & Dorothy Tamplin Trust, the Logan County Libraries, Mary Rutan Hospital, Logan County Health District, schools, and other community partners to bring the program to our community in 2017. Since then, 62,853 books have been mailed to more than 2,700 Logan County preschoolers!
Parents can sign up their children under age five for free on United Way's website at www.uwlogan.org or at any Logan County Library branch. Children will then receive a free book every month until their fifth birthday.
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is proven on a national level to increase early reading, vocabulary skills, and parent-child interaction by providing free books to every child enrolled. Each month, a new, carefully selected book is mailed in the child’s name directly to his or her home to generate excitement and promote ownership.
So United Way worked to bring the successful Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the children of Logan County. We formed a coalition of local educators, libraries, and community partners dedicated to early childhood literacy. The United Way Board committed $150,000 to the project over a five-year period. Cost of the program is $25 per year per child. All Logan County children under age five are able to accumulate a free library of up to 60 books and develop the skills necessary to be ready for school. This program mails a new, age-appropriate book every month to each child enrolled in the program until their fifth birthday.
In July 2019, the Ohio legislature included $5 million to jump start the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library to support existing programs throughout the state and to help start it in communities where it was not yet available. Beginning in November 2019, one half of our program cost is now supported by the State, effectively DOUBLING the impact of our local support!
The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has been in existence since 1995. Founded by Dolly Parton herself for the children in her hometown of Sevier County, the program has spread across the country through the help of committed community partners. The program inspires a love of reading by guaranteeing that all children enrolled will have quality books in the home. At no cost to the family, an age-appropriate book is mailed monthly directly to the child from enrollment to their fifth birthday. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now active in all 50 states and five countries and delivers more than 1.5 million free, age-appropriate books to children every month. THE LIBRARY THAT DOLLY BUILT goes behind-the-scenes of this unprecedented program to show how one of the most famous performers in the world has developed an efficient and effective program, beloved almost universally by its recipients. Featuring original interviews with authors, policy makers, Imagination Library staff, recipients, and the legend herself, Dolly Parton, The Library That Dolly Built introduces the viewer to all aspects of the Imagination Library, from how the books are selected and mailed to how the Imagination Library was originally formulated and where they expect to go in the future.
The Holland Theatre is an atmospheric theatre built in 1931. It is the only Dutch themed theatre in the US and on the National Register. The Holland hosts world-class entertainment on a regular basis. With a thriving community theater program, a loyal and growing membership base, and an ever-increasing audience, there is no telling what’s in store for this recently restored, beautiful and unique venue.
