Dolly Parton’s free book scheme for children launched in Glenrothes by MSP

The Imagination Library, which started in America in 1995, is now part of Collydean Library in Glenrothes where it was launched by Jenny Gilruth MSP.

She has been working with Collydean Community Centre since the start of the year to make it a reality - and it means that each month, the scheme will provide children up until the age of five who live in the area with a free, high-quality, and age-appropriate book that is specially wrapped and delivered at no cost to the family. The community centre will serve as the central hub for registering local children who will then automatically get the books every month until their fifth birthday.

Parton’s initiative first launched in Tennessee, and has since developed into a global free book gift-giving programme, and local children were gifted their first book, ‘Tales of Peter Rabbit’, at the launch event on Monday. Local business Leviton - previously known as Brand-Rex - has given a year’s worth of funding for this project, which will see up to 46 children receive free monthly books.

Ms Gilruth MSP, said: “I am so proud that we have been able to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Glenrothes for the benefit of children in Collydean. As a former teacher, I know firsthand how important literacy skills are for our youngsters to develop communication, creativity and critical thinking, and for helping to improve attainment in school.

“Thanks to the generosity of Leviton, the hard work of Yvonne and the team at the Collydean Community Centre, and with assistance from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, we have been able to deliver this project that will see children receive a free monthly book up until their fifth birthday.”

Yvoone Crombie, community centre manager, added: “We are so excited to be part of this ground-breaking initiative. It provides parents and children an opportunity to spend some quality time together reading a new book each month.

“I know families will welcome receiving a free age-appropriate book and feel the excitement of a new book dropping through the letterbox every month.”

The launch of the project in the region was also welcomed by Parton’s Imagination Library.

Meg Fletcher, regional director, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Collydean Community Centre and Jenny Gilruth MSP to bring the Imagination Library to Collydean. We know that so many children in the community will benefit from the books arriving in homes and look forward to hearing from families over the coming months.”

The business backing the scheme has bene part of Glenrothes for over 50 years.

Ian Wilkie, managing director of Leviton Network Solution Europe, said: “Many children of Glenrothes schools grew up to become some of our best employees. As a company involved in manufacturing cabling systems for high-speed computer and data communication networks, our markets often rely more on transferring words that appear on a screen rather than on paper.

“However, we are passionate about books. They cultivate learning. They inspire imagination. They showcase creativity. They share ideas. They develop our minds. And they can make us laugh.

“In a world where we all spend so much time looking at fast changing information on our screens – books can transport us to another world, where we can calmly immerse ourselves at whatever pace we choose. In doing so, they can really help our mental health. All of this from some ink printed on pieces of paper.”