HARDEMAN COUNTY, TN – Hardeman County Imagination Library (HCIL – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), in partnership with the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, is celebrating 20 years of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) in our county. The state initiated the program in 2004, and Hardeman County joined in the fall of 2005.
The program serves enrolled children from birth to age five. During the last 20 years, over 3,770 children have graduated from the program, and some 192,000 books have been mailed to our children.
Currently, nearly 1000 books are mailed each month to Hardeman County children, reaching approximately 75% of our county’s eligible population, ranging from birth to age five.
Having books in the home has consistently proven to be a predictor of children’s academic success. Tennessee studies found that Imagination Library participants out-performed non-participants on kindergarten literacy assessments and continued this trend even into second and third grades. Further, higher attendance rates and lower suspension rates were indicated for participating students through the 5th grade.
DPIL is made available to all Tennessee children from birth to age five through a unique public-private partnership between Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF), DPIL, and a local affiliate program in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. With vital financial support from the Tennessee General Assembly, foundations, and corporate sponsors, GELF funds half the cost of Imagination Library books for enrolled children statewide, supporting affiliates in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. These local affiliates, such as HCIL, raise the other half of the cost of books for enrolled children in their county.
With approximately 1000 books being mailed monthly to enrolled children in Hardeman County, the monthly shared cost billed to Hardeman County Imagination Library exceeds $1,000.00.
The mission of the Hardeman County Imagination Library is two-fold: to reach parents/guardians so that we enroll each eligible child in our county and to raise our share of the cost to pay for the books.
During the planning process for our 20th anniversary celebration, Dolly Parton died. We are now fully committed to honoring her legacy, but we need your help.
To volunteer to work with the HCIL Board or get involved in HCIL efforts, please contact Monroe Woods, coordinator, at [email protected].
To donate, go to online. Be sure to specify “Hardeman County” to designate your donation to our local program.
You may also mail your check or money order to: HCIL, PO Box 501, Bolivar, Tennessee 38008
To enroll your child, visit the website.
About Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF)
Driven by a mission to strengthen early literacy in Tennessee, GELF acts as a thought leader, advisor, and catalyst for programs and initiatives across the state. These programs include Birth-5 Book Delivery through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, K-3 Home Library, Caregiver Engagement, Book Buses, and Storybook Trails. GELF was founded in 2004 by former Gov. Phil Bredesen as a public-private partnership to sustain Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tennessee. GELF has grown from solely a book-gifting program to an early literacy organization driven by a vision where all Tennessee children have access to the resources, guidance, and support they need to become lifelong learners. For more information, visit Governors Foundation or Governors Early Literacy.
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