Marin County, CA – A multi-stakeholder partnership that includes the Marin County Free Library (MCFL), First 5 Marin, and Friends of the Marin County Free Library has brought Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Marin. That means every child in Marin up to age five can experience the joy of receiving their own book in the mail each month, creating treasured moments and fostering a lifelong love of reading.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer this program to our youngest residents here in Marin. With every book delivery, we make an investment in the hearts and minds of developing readers, growing strong literacy skills right at home,” said Lana Adlawan, Marin County’s Director of Library Services. “We are establishing a path for all children to thrive in Marin with this program.”
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million free books to children. The program serves families in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Today, the Imagination Library mails over 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month at no cost to families.
Any parent or caregiver of a child in Marin County can register their child now for the Imagination Library of Marin County, free of charge. A celebration kickoff for the program will also be held on July 1 at noon on Free Children’s Day at the Marin County Fair. Sign-ups and book giveaways will be available at the launch.
“Marin County is now the 45th county in California to provide the program to all its youngest residents, making Dolly Parton's Imagination Library available to the more than 11,000 children under age five who call Marin County home,” said Hallie Anderson, Community Engagement Coordinator for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of California. “This milestone reflects what is possible when a community comes together around a shared commitment to children, families and the future, joining Dolly in her dream of helping every child develop a lifelong love of reading.”
Through this partnership, MCFL and First 5 Marin offer a new way to increase literacy in Marin youth with the Imagination Library. The Marin County Office of Education, Belvedere Tiburon Library and Belvedere Tiburon Library Foundation are also partners in the program. Families can learn more and register their child in the program or by asking a library staff member at any MCFL branch.
###