Altoona celebrates launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — Children in the Altoona area are now able to get free books with the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

The Altoona Area School District, library and local representatives launched the program at the Altoona Area Public Library Thursday. To celebrate, Representative John Joyce (R-Pa.) read “The Little Engine That Could” to children from the Learning Express Preschool, many of the children reading along.

“Many of you know how important this public library is to me personally,” Joyce said. “And this is an opportunity to develop these readers by having books that will be available to them for the first five years of lives.”

The program mails a free book to children each month from the time they are born through age five. Imagination Library is designed that way because 90% of a child’s physical brain development happens within that time period of a child’s life. Studies have shown that having books at home supports positive academic, social and emotional development in young children.

“The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library gives every family the opportunity to instill that love of reading in each of their children. Imagine as a child receiving a book every month, addressed to you, that you can add to your own personal library. That’s not only exciting, that’s empowering,” said Paula Foreman, Community Relations Director for the Altoona Area School District.

But organizers with Altoona’s Imagination Library said the program aims to do more than just help children develop a love of reading. They said it’s a great way for families to build lasting connections and memories to pass down through generations.

Haley Fleegle, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction & Elementary Programs, who lead the effort of bringing Imagination Library to the Altoona area, teared up, recalling her own favorite book as a child, and the lasting impact it had on her.

“Oh, my goodness, ‘Charlotte’s Web.’ ‘Charlotte’s Web’ was one of my favorite books as an older reader. But all the picture books, I could sit in the library for days. And, like I said, having the opportunity for my mother to read to me, and being able to pass that along to my daughter has been the most special thing,” Fleegle said.

Children enrolled in the program from birth will receive a total of 60 books by the time they are five years old. Any child under age five living in the 16601, 16602 and 16603 zip codes qualify to be enrolled in Altoona’s Imagination Library.

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Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is funded in part by donations. Organizers said it costs $135 to sponsor a child and provide them with each book they will receive through Imagination Library, or about $2.20 for one child for one month. Donations for this Imagination Library can be made to the Altoona Area School District Foundation .

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