BENEFITS AND IMPACT
BENEFITS AND IMPACT
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Registrations open for Andreas, Arbory & Rushen, Ballaugh, Bride, Douglas, Jurby, Lezayre, Marown, Maughold, Patrick, Port Erin, Port St Mary & Santon
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library yields immediate value, creates long-term return on investment, improves educational outcomes, and strengthens family and community bonds.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library yields immediate value, creates long-term return on investment, improves educational outcomes, and strengthens family and community bonds.
VALUE FOR MONEY
VALUE FOR MONEY
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is expanded into each new area by a local partner who are responsible for raising the funds to cover the cost of the books (plus postage and packaging).
The overheads are covered by The Dollywood Foundation who provide the core infrastructure and co-ordinate the programme. Dollywood's subsidy and economies of scale result in excellent value for money.
We need to raise just £26 per year for each child under 5 years old, on the Isle of Man.
For this we receive approximately £143 worth of books and service, due to the support and economies of scale provided by The Dollywood Foundation.
That's an immediate return on investment of 450%!
EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS
EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS
The longintudinal impact is evident throughout the primary years. Children in North Lincolnshire who received Imagination Library books surpassed their peers in meeting the 'Good Level of Development' at EYFS, in Year 1 Phonics Screening and in meeting the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 'Expected Standard' in Reading, Writing and Maths.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Good Level of Development
Good Level of Development
67.1% of children who received Imagination Library books achieved a GLD compared to 52.6% for who didn't receive the books
14.5 ppts higher
14.5 ppts higher
Increases Good Level of Development
Increases Good Level of Development
when socio-economic factors were accounted for, participation related to a relative increase in the likelihood of achieving by
40% increase
40% increase
Early Learning Goal of Reading
Early Learning Goal of Reading
when socio-economic factors were accounted for, participation related to a relative increase in the likelihood of acheiving by
54% increase
54% increase
Year 1 Phonics Screening and Key Stage 1
Year 1 Phonics Screening and Key Stage 1
Year 1 Phonics
Year 1 Phonics
74% of children who had received Imagination Library books met the Expected Standard, compared to 57% of those not registered.
17 ppt higher
17 ppt higher
KS1 Reading
KS1 Reading
67% of children who had received Imagination Library books met the Expected Standard, compared with 54% of those not registered.
13 ppt higher
13 ppt higher
KS1 Writing
KS1 Writing
57% of children who had received Imagination Library books met the Expected Standard, compared with 49% of those not registered.
8 ppt higher
8 ppt higher
KS1 Maths
KS1 Maths
67% of children who had received Imagination Library books met the Expected Standard, compared with 58% of those not registered.
9 ppt higher
9 ppt higher
Findings from North Lincolnshire Council, The local authority-wide programme for all children through age 5 in North Lincolnshire has been operating since 2013.
The council has followed the cohort of children through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Year 1 phonics screening (Y1), and SATS tests at Key Stage 1 (KS1) and 2 (KS2).
The council has followed the cohort of children through the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), Year 1 phonics screening (Y1), and SATS tests at Key Stage 1 (KS1) and 2 (KS2).
FAMILY BENEFITS
FAMILY BENEFITS
With the convenience of free books delivered right to their door, parents and caregivers are gently nudged to engage in the magical world of storytelling with their child. The books serve as a catalyst for meaningful interactions, strengthening the parent-child relationship and deepening mutual understanding. Feedback from parents emphasises the profound bonding experiences that arise from reading together.
88% "We read more often"
92% "We share the books with older and younger siblings in our family"
93% "I enjoy reading with my child more"
97% "The books have helped develop my child's speech and language"
98% "My child looks forward to the books arriving"
99% "My child is enthusiastic to share books with me"
When the age of the child, number of children in the family, parental education, ethnicity and gender were taken into account, families receiving Imagination Library books are around 30% more likely to read daily than other families surveyed.
Findings from 'Books Babies and Bonding: the impact of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on parental engagement in book-sharing with children 0-5 years old'Dr Caroline Zwierzchowska-Dod PhD, funded by Swansea University and The Dollywood Foundation, May 2022
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY BENEFITS
The impact extends beyond individual families, to benefits for our island community at large. Shared experiences strengthen social cohesion and create community bonds. The island community collectively funding free books to under fives increases the Isle of Man's value proposition as a great place to live.
Shared Experiences
Shared Experiences
Children born in the same calendar year receive the same books, creating shared experiences among peers and the potential to foster powerful interactions within our community.
"the Imagination Library connects my son to his peers because everyone has the same book"
Universal Access
Universal Access
All under 5s in the Isle of Man will be eligible regardless of family income. The programme's universality is egalitarian and could be a 'levelling-up' experience.
There should be neither a sense of receiving charity or perceived unfairness from the 'squeezed-middle' who are finding their family finances stretched but are ineligible for support.
Building Communities
Building Communities
The Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a lifelong love of reading and we hope to work with local 'bricks and mortar' libraries and nurseries to create connections around the books.
“the preschool often do projects around them, each child has the same book at home which really includes every child no matter what their home circumstances are”
Parent quotes from 'Books Babies and Bonding: the impact of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on parental engagement in book-sharing with children 0-5 years old'Dr Caroline Zwierzchowska-Dod PhD, funded by Swansea University and The Dollywood Foundation, May 2022
LONG-TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS
LONG-TERM ECONOMIC BENEFITS
The Imagination Library programme not only yields immediate value but, by targeting early years education and ultimately resulting in a better educated workforce, offers a remarkable long-term return on investment.
Reading for Pleasure
Reading for Pleasure
Reading for pleasure is a greater indicator of a child's future educational success than their family's socio-economic status including their parents' educational backgrounds and income.
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Department for Education (UK)Is reading for pleasure the single biggest factor in how well a child does in life?
More or Less: Behind the Stats
The Heckman Curve
The Heckman Curve
The Heckman Curve shows that "the highest rate of economic return comes from investing as early as possible in children, from birth through age five, in disadvantaged families".
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The Heckman CurveProfessor James Heckman
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics (2000)
Narrowing the Gap
Narrowing the Gap
Research comparing families' socioeconomics suggested that the Imagination Library could considerably enhance disadvantaged children's future academic outcomes. Narrowing the gap between them and their better-off counterparts.
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Evaluating the impact of book gifting on the reading behaviours of parents and young children - Research in Nottingham funded by 'Small Steps Big Changes'DOWNLOADS
DOWNLOADS
As Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has been operating since 1995 and in the UK since 2007, there has been ample opportunity for its long-term impact to have been studied.
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