Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

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AHHAH uses to fill their PULL stations throughout the region. The Chester County Intermediate Unit Discover team also helps to label and distribute the donated books.

AHHAH’s track record of community partnership and literacy efforts made then the perfect organization to help Looker Books bring the Imagination Library program to Coatesville. Jan Michener, AHHAH’s Founder and Executive Director, jumped on board immediately. In just one year, through fundraising and awareness efforts, these two organizations, as well as other partners such as local daycare centers, Head Start Education Services, the Coatesville Area Public Library, the Brandywine YMCA, various pediatric heath centers, and community organizations, 630 Coatesville children under age five were registered to receive one free, high-quality, age-appropriate book each month through the Greater Coatesville Imagination Library (a full six months ahead of schedule!).

Not to be held back, AHHAH continued to develop relationships with more funders and community organizations, local business sponsors, and hospitals to grow registration to the point that a Chester County funder, the Justamere Foundation, decided to provide a substantial grant to expand the program to all of Chester County! In addition, several Coatesville and Chester County businesses and foundations have joined the Imagination Library family with their support including Cleveland Cliffs, CCRES, Presence Bank, The Rotary Club of Coatesville Foundation, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union, Sarian Strategic Partners, and more. One Coatesville sponsor, Breuninger

Insurance (also a PULL book donation drop off location), decided to feature the Chester County Imagination Library, AHHAH, and the Pop-Up Lending Library program as part of their tree decoration during the Coatesville Pavilion of Trees event and contest in December 2022. With a temporary PULL Station installed, a beautiful tree celebrating literacy, and a photo opportunity with a cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton, Breuninger Insurance’s tree won first place and they donated their cash prize to AHHAH and the Imagination Library.

In just two months following the expansion in early November 2022, AHHAH, the Kennett Library, the Kennett Area Consolidated School District, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, and many others worked together to register an additional 2,700 children for the newly established Chester County Imagination Library, bringing the total served to more than 3,300! Chris Manna, Executive Director of the Kennett Library said, “Literacy is a lifelong journey that leads to success in all phases of life. The Imagination Library provides that initial spark for life’s journey.” These school district partners also plan to provide literacy and kindergarten readiness statistics to AHHAH each year to demonstrate the program’s effectiveness which will in turn attract more funders to support its continued growth in future years.

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