The Allen County Public Library Foundation received a $10,000 grant to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library after the loss of funding from the state.
The grant from the Dr. Louis and Anne B. Schneider Foundation will help offset the current $15,000 per month the library dedicates to the program, which sends free books every month to Allen County children between the ages of zero and five.
Communications Director Aja Michael-Keller said the program creates a foundation for literacy during a crucial developmental time.
“And when they have that foundation they go into school ready to learn," she said. "That’s what we want our kids in Allen County doing, we want them to be surrounded by that type of an environment. So that they can then grow in our community and be our leaders of the future.”
The new state budget removed funding for the Imagination Library. Previously the state offset 50% of the cost. It costs the ACPL approximately $31 per child per year.
Earlier this year, following backlash to the state budget cut, Governor Mike Braun announced First Lady Maureen Braun would be in charge of finding new funding sources for the program.
We should disclose that WBOI President and General Manager Travis Pope is a member of the Friends of the Library board at the Allen County Public Library.
