Karyl Strader, Principal of Park Layne Elementary, knows that reading aloud to children is one of the most important things a parent can do. When she heard about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program offering free books to children ages birth through five, she realized immediately that it would help area children arrive at Kindergarten with a love of reading and ready to learn.

Ms. Strader and Bryan Howard, Director of the New Carlisle Public Library, worked with the New Carlisle Rotary Club, New Carlisle Public Library Board, New Carlisle Breakfast Optimist Club, Friends of the New Carlisle Public Library, United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties, Family & Youth Initiatives, and the Tecumseh Local Schools to find funding for the program. Due to generous donations from these partner agencies, families in the Tecumseh Local School District may begin enrolling children ages 0-5 in the program in early 2017.

Once registration opens, families may enroll eligible children at the New Carlisle Public Library or at Park Layne Elementary School. Then, every single month from birth through the age of five, those children will receive in the mail a free, age-appropriate book to keep.

Singer Dolly Parton started the program in 1995 in her home county of Sevier County, Tennessee. The program has since expanded, and now mails out one million books to children across the United States every month. Dolly believes that when children have access to books, their world becomes larger and their imagination soars. Children become better prepared for school and for life. Dolly wants every child to dream more, learn more, care more and be more.

Ms. Kerry Lee Pedraza, Executive Director of United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties, stated “United Way is pleased to work with these generous partners to bring this program to the New Carlisle area. We know that this program will be well-received and we hope to grow the program in all three counties. Through the tremendous generosity of the Western Clark County funders, we were able to start this program earlier than we had ever anticipated.”

Bryan Howard, Executive Director of the New Carlisle Public Library, seconded Pedraza’s remarks, adding “We are so happy that we are able to bring this program to New Carlisle and western Clark County. All the leaders of the donating groups were passionate about starting this program and because of that passion we are able to kick it off much sooner than we anticipated.”

For more information on the Imagination Library or to sponsor a child, contact the New Carlisle Public Library: 937-845-3601, ext. 207 or the United Way of Clark, Champaign and Madison Counties: 937-324-5551.