Palmetto Project

Getting Books into the Hands of Children

Palmetto Project identifies innovative strategies to address the social and economic challenges facing our state and puts them into action. As Dolly Parton's Imagination Library affiliate in the Midlands, our goal is to inspire a love of reading and build foundational reading skills in young children by providing access to quality books at an early age.

We are getting BOOKS into the hands of children who need them. Palmetto Project understands the vital role that early literacy skills play in a child's future success, and we are committed to fostering a love of reading in young children by providing books directly to families in need. 

The program has been widely researched, and results demonstrate the positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Research shows that having books at home significantly benefits children in various ways. A comprehensive two-decade study found that simply having a home library can enhance children's academic performance, vocabulary development, attention spans, and future job prospects.

We are working to make Dolly Parton's Imagination Library available to more than 3,000 children in Lexington, Kershaw, Orangeburg and Newberry counties who otherwise would have no access to books.

Testimonials

"Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done. I can't tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. He was the smartest man I have ever known, but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams." - Dolly Parton

"When I tell you our family loved this special program! We adored receiving the books each month from Dolly and the Imagination Library team! It was something to look forward to each month as my son grew! He cherished the books and the fact that they came from Dolly..." - Cara (Mom)