Marcella Foundation partners with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to offer free books each month

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Literacy at a young age is important, and studies show that children exposed to reading before preschool tend to develop larger vocabularies and are more likely to succeed during their formal education. If a child is not proficient in reading by 3rd grade, they are at a higher risk of not graduating from high school.

It is due to these studies that today's news can be a game changer for the 8,000 children living in El Dorado County.

First 5 El Dorado, El Dorado County Library, Friends of the Library, El Dorado Community Foundation, and United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra are partnering with the Marcella Foundation to launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for kids in the county.

The Foundation has announced the launch of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the county. Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will provide an age-appropriate book for each registered child, absolutely free to the family. All 8,000 children ages 0 to their 5th birthday living in El Dorado County can enroll now to receive a free monthly book. Any child in the home can register, and books are available in both English and Spanish.

In a show of support for early literacy for all children in the region, First 5 El Dorado, El Dorado County Library, Friends of the Library, and El Dorado Community Foundation partnered with Marcella Foundation to help launch Imagination Library. Additionally, United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra is providing the initial funding to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to each of the communities surrounding Lake Tahoe. El Dorado County is the last county surrounding Lake Tahoe to get the Imagination Library. Placer: https://www.placer.ca.gov/9295/Imagination-Library, Douglas & Washoe: https://www.uwnns.org/DPIL.

The Marcella Foundation, founded in 2023 by South Lake Tahoe native Sean Fannan, operates with a mission to think big and make a difference in South Lake Tahoe and beyond in three key areas: FEED, READ, and LEAD.

“We are thrilled to partner with so many amazing organizations to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to the region,” said Melissa Uppendahl, executive director of Marcella Foundation. “This is truly a collaborative effort to improve outcomes for all children living in our area. While improving children’s literacy skills by the 3rd grade is our most pressing goal, this program aims to help families build literacy skills at home and cultivate a love of reading at a young age.”

Improving early childhood literacy with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library creates opportunities for children to thrive and succeed in school, helping their communities grow and prosper. Kathi Guerrero, Executive Director of First 5 El Dorado, stated, “We believe that parents are a child’s first teacher. The first years of life are critical for a child’s learning and development, and the Imagination Library encourages connection and bonding between caregivers and children during those critical years. We’re excited to bring this program to our region.”

Children in homes with more extensive home libraries are known to read more, have higher-level reading skills, and attain more years of education than those with access to fewer books. “If children enroll in the Imagination Library at birth, they will receive over 60 books by the time they enter kindergarten. We’re excited to help families build their home libraries and encourage a culture of reading at home,” said Bryce Lovell, Director of Library Services, El Dorado County Library. He added, "Children who are read to at an early age and who spend time with books are more likely to become proficient readers, and with that skill, they are better equipped to learn, discover, and grow."

To register your child, please visit: www.marcellafoundation.org/dolly