Homecoming in June, 2011!

Every two years the international Imagination Library family convenes near The Dollywood Foundation in Tennessee to share ideas and celebrate our successes. Affiliates from The United Kingdom, Canada, and The United States will gather as the meeting will commence on June 14, 2011 and conclude on June 17, 2011.

As in the past, the agenda will focus on the topics which will help organizations launch, grow and sustain their Imagination Library program. Currently there are almost 1,300 communities in these three countries providing books to just under 600,000 children each month.

Homecoming 2011 is way more fun than your average run of the mill national conference. Literary experts will lead sessions which will inform and inspire. In 2009, Anna Dewdney (author of "Llama, Llama Red Pajama") was a big hit so the search is on to secure another author who can entertain, educate… and sign their cool books!

Imagination Library President David Dotson on IRA Radio!

Click on the link below to hear this 15 minute interview hosted by International Reading Association’s Executive Director Bill Harvey.

http://www.reading.org/Resources/Radio.aspx

IRA Reading Radio airs monthly on the BAM! Radio Network, a radio website for the education community. In each installment, IRA Executive Director William Harvey interviews an expert on a key topic relating to reading education.

In this show, David Dotson speaks about Dolly Parton's Imagination Library's growth over the years and how the program is expanding to promote literacy in the 21st Century.

Tune in to "Dream More! Learn More! Care More! Be More!"

Imagination Library websites for Affiliates!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a non-profit organization currently in the USA, Canada and United Kingdom that promotes early childhood literacy by providing age appropriate books to children from birth to age 5. Each Affiliate has their own opportunity to share the specific information about their program with the community by creating their own website.

This is a valuable resource for each Affiliate to announce details about their program including a mission statement and child registration, while creating an online presence in just a few simple steps. There is also an easy to follow user's guide available to all Affiliates when making updates to the site's information, or adding photos from recent promotional events.

A virtual shopping cart is available where Affiliates can sell Imagination Library merchandise such as apparel, hats, tote bags and train-themed bookends to interested visitors on the site. A Donations page is also included, where people can make general contributions to the program or support the program in a specific area. With links to Facebook and Twitter in place, your program's library news and upcoming fundraisers can be shared with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library community in an instant!

An example of a Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Website can be viewed here: www.seviercountyimaginationlibrary.com

Dollywood Celebrates 25 years!

Dolly Parton and other well known entertainers celebrated 25 years of Dollywood on the Hallmark Channel this weekend. The show featuring Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus and Kenny Rogers premiered Saturday July 3rd.

The one-hour special, featured Grammy® winner and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Dolly Parton in a musical tribute previously taped at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
The show featured some of the brightest stars in country music and included tributes for Dolly and Dollywood from a few of her friends - Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney and others.

In two days, Dolly Parton and friends recorded the program, which is packed with musical numbers, views of the theme park and chitchat between the stars. Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney, who both worked at the theme park in their earlier days, pass along their best to Parton during the special.

"A few years back, we knew we wanted to do a TV special about the 25th anniversary, and we knew we wanted to get people who had performed here at Dollywood over those 25 years," Parton said during a break in the taping.

Later, in front of the audience, Parton took notice of Miley's shopping spree at Dollywood. "I'll give you a discount on that since you're a guest," Parton said. "On second thought, you should pay full price. You can afford it."

Dollywood is a 150 acre family adventure park in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Its mountain themed attractions, world class rides and award winning festivals shows make Dollywood one of the top themed entertainment destinations in the United States.

Happy 25th Anniversary!