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Graham Library seeking funds for literacy program

Tue, 02/05/2019 - 11:05 am
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    The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Club at their Wednesday, Jan. 23 meeting presented two checks to the Library of Graham in the amount of $2,000 for the library general fund and $500 for the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. Shown from l-r are Sylvia Overton, Sherry Gibson, Peggy Sonnenberg and Kathy Lambden. (Contributed photo)
editor@grahamleader.com

Since 2007, the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program through the Library of Graham has provided children in Young County with a free book each month until they begin school, all through donations provided by the community.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a program started in 1995 which mails free books to children from birth until they begin school, regardless of their income. The program started in Sevier County, Tenn. where Parton grew up and quickly grew not only nationally, but internationally, reaching Canada in 2006, the United Kingdom in 2007 and Australia in 2013.

“It is funded by local sources, not Dolly Parton,” said Library of Graham Director Sherrie Gibson. “I just put a post on there (Facebook) that we need money and people came back and said ‘I thought Dolly Parton paid for that.’ No, the Dolly Parton association does the mailing and she has a group of educators who choose the books every year.”

Gibson said the program is an ongoing expense for the library and donations are what keep the program running. Donations can be given at the library located at 910 Cherry St., which  sponsor children in the community.

“A child can get 12 books a year and if you have got more than one child they are age appropriate, so each child gets a different book,” she said. “If people want to sponsor a child it is $30 a year, and you couldn’t buy a kid a book for $30.”

For more from this story see the Wednesday, Feb. 6 edition of The Graham Leader.