Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T.V. News May 15, 2013) — The Jamestown Public School Foundation, in conjunction with the local United Way and the Jamestown Optimist Club,　 “rolled out” of the Imagination Library program which is set to begin in Jamestown.

On Wednesday morning, North Dakota’s First Lady,  Betsy Dalrymple was the featured speaker introducing the program and read “The Little Engine that Could” to pre-school kids in attendance.

Mrs. Dalrymple said, “Encouraging early childhood literacy is incredibly important to me. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library has brought millions of books directly to pre-school children all across America at no cost to families. It is fulfilling to help connect even more North Dakota communities with the program each year and to see so many children develop a lifelong joy of reading.”

Mrs. Dalrymple began working with Imagination Library in December 2010, encouraging communities across the state to join on. To-date in North Dakota, 9 counties, 11 cities and 17 school districts are participating.

Imagination Library is sponsored nationally by the Dolly Parton Foundation.　 Its prime function is to get a free book every month to children between the ages of 0 and 5 at no cost to the parents.　 This is an outstanding program meant to improve literacy with our youngest children.　 Our local organizing committee hopes to give a free book to every young child ages 0-5 who attends the roll-out.

Locally, spokesperson Lee added that anyone wishing a brochure containing the signup information can call Jamestown Public Schools at 252-1950. Brochures have also been distributed around town.

She said the cost is $25 per child, with about 2,000 pre-schoolers in Stutsman County.

However, she pointed out that in addition to Jamestown Public Schools Foundation, the Jamestown Optimist Club, the Stutsman County United Way, have contributed dollars to the program, along with a $2,000 donation from a private individual, so there is no cost to the parent signing their child.

There are sponsorship levels available.

The Imagination Library has grown from just a few dozen books to nearly 40 million books mailed to children in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Currently over 1,600 local communities provide the Imagination Library to almost 700,000 children each month.