Dolly Parton's books a gift for local children

Local children up to the age of five will benefit from a decision to bring an international literacy program – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – to the Tamworth Region community.

Tamworth Regional Councillors at last night's meeting supported a report which recommended the free book gifting organisation be established locally and start operating in January next year.

Internationally acclaimed singer songwriter Dolly Parton (pictured right) started the Imagination Library as part of her Dollywood Foundation. It aims to inspire a love of reading in children. Each month enrolled children up to the age of five receive an age-appropriate book at no cost to their families.

Tamworth Region Mayor Col Murray said the initiative is an exciting opportunity to improve literacy levels in young local children.

“Australian Early Development Census data has shown the Tamworth Region has a higher number of developmentally vulnerable four-year-olds compared to the State average,” he said.

“Experts acknowledge something as simple as reading to a child at a young age can dramatically improve their literacy skills and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides free books to help make that happen.

Tamworth Regional Council Director Planning and Community, John Sommerlad said Mark and Jay O’Shea, the multi-award winning Australian duo who are based in Nashville, Tennessee, introduced Tamworth Regional Council to the Imagination Library initiative.

“Council has now been invited to join Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library by its Australian administrators, the charity United Way Australia,” he said.

The Council report sets out the funding needed to establish the Imagination Library in the Tamworth Region. It details how - based on figures for the last six years showing an average of 63 births a month - a budget allocation of about $19,000 is needed to fund it for the first six months of next year and $70,000 is needed for the 2019-20 financial year.

The report said a sponsorship strategy will be devised and aimed at local business, corporations and individuals. The ongoing financial viability of the Imagination Library across a five-year cycle is dependent on “considerable sponsorship support”, the report said.

It is proposed Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will be launched locally in December and including information on how parents can subscribe their children under the age of 5. The first books will be gifted in January 2019.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library began in Australia in 2014 and now operates in more than 60 communities in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.