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- No cost to families
- Each child from birth to age 5 receives an age-appropriate book each month.
- Almost 4,000 children in Wood County registered
In partnership with The United Way in Wood County and the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library, the seven independent public library systems in Wood County are bringing Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Wood County, mailing books to children.
The program mails every child from birth through age five a free, age-appropriate book every month until they turn five years old. Enroll the children in your life today to begin getting free books and to inspire the love of reading from a young age.
There is no cost for a child or family to participate. "The seven libraries are pleased to provide the initial $30,195 needed to get the project started," said Penrod. "The libraries will also assist with program promotion and registration."
Program costs are covered by a 50% match from the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library program and 50% in locally provided funds. Each library of the county's seven libraries contributed to the project based on the population in their legal service district. The United Way in Wood County will serve as the project affiliate, as fiscal agent, and take on long-term fundraising efforts. The seven libraries that worked together to provide local funds are the North Baltimore Public Library, Pemberville Public Library, Rossford Public Library, Way Public Library in Perrysburg, Wayne Public Library, Weston Public Library, and the Wood County District Public Library in Bowling Green.
Entertainment icon and savvy businesswoman Dolly Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995. She was inspired by her father’s inability to read or write and in hopes of inspiring a love of reading and learning from a young age. The program has received the Best Practices Award from The Library Of Congress Literacy Awards, and in 2016 the program celebrated the “One Million A Month” milestone for books mailed to children across the world.