PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
Since 1995, over 175 million books have been mailed to children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) program.
Since October 2008, 234,176 books have been mailed to children in the DPIL program.
Current Figures:
• Almost 2 million books are mailed monthly in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland.
• 17,563 children across 38 DPIL affiliates in TX are receiving books monthly.
• 401 children in Tarrant County, TX are receiving books monthly.
SUPPORTIVE RESEARCH/IMPACT
The following principal findings are from a review of over 20 years of qualitative and quantitative research conducted on DPIL to assess the program and its impact on children literacy.
Positive Perceptions
• Participating family members were overwhelmingly positive about the program and its impact on their children’s literacy and bonding with parents and siblings.
• Community members, including DPIL partners and preschool and kindergarten teachers, also had positive views of the program and its impact on book ownership and literacy practices in homes.
• The positive views of the program and its impacts were present regardless of the demographic characteristics of the community or its participants, and longer program participation often resulted in more positive outcomes.
Richer Home Literacy Environments
• Parents read aloud more to their children and were more comfortable reading.
• Parents reported their children owned more books.
Improving Attitudes & Skills
• Parents believed their children were more interested in reading due to receiving the books each month.
• Participating children were excited when their DPIL books arrived in the mail monthly, addressed specifically to the child.
• Some studies found DPIL had promise with respect to developing children’s early literacy skills, as participants had more advanced skills than their classmates who did not participate in the program.