Brighter Beginnings for Children in Warrumbungle Shire with the launch of the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program

Warrumbungle Shire Council is delighted to announce the launch of an innovative book gifting project, The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. The program is set to improve the literacy levels of young children in our Local Government Area (LGA).

From January 2022, every newborn child in the Warrumbungle Shire Council Local Government Area (LGA) registered in the program will receive a free age-appropriate book every month through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Initiated by Dolly Parton over 20-years ago, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has seen over 160 million books delivered to children in the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Designed to connect parents and children through a love of reading, the library project has a proven track record of improving literacy rates and launching children on a lifelong journey of reading, learning and discovery.

The aim of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is for all children to have access to their own library of literary resources from an early age which will assist them in developing competent reading and comprehension skills before they start school. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails free age-appropriate and culturally sensitive books to children registered in the program from birth to the age of five. 

All children born in 2022 and living within the Warrumbungle Shire Council LGA will be eligible to access the program, irrespective of where they are born. Parents and carers will only have to complete a short registration form available from NSW Health or from the local Library.

“This is a practical approach at the local level to better equip young children and to provide them with the resources to help lift literacy and communication skills,” said Warrumbungle Shire Council Mayor Councillor Ambrose Doolan.

Statistics show that the Imagination Library significantly improves early childhood literacy as the period from birth to age 5 is critical for brain and language development. Homes with more books tend to have better educational outcomes for children.

The highly respected charity organisation United Way Australia will work with Council and administer the Warrumbungle Shire project. United Way Australia works towards improving lives and strengthening communities, through its many successful programs.

United Way Australia’s CEO, Clayton Noble said, “United Way Australia is very excited to be partnering with the Warrumbungle Shire Council on this exciting program. The commitment to ensuring every child born in the region is ‘school ready’ is to be applauded. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will be a big boost to achieving this goal.”

“This is a project which deserves widespread support from across the community because it will deliver positive outcomes at individual, family and community levels,” Cr Doolan concluded. 

For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library or for further enquiries contact Warrumbungle Shire Council at info@warrumbungle.nsw.gov.au or call 02 6849 2000. 

Click here to download media release 

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Last Updated: 05 Jul 2022