My Purpose statement from BEFORE I knew of Dolly's Imagination Library.

I wrote this in early 2013.

Clearing out old files in the office, I found a file of old notes and letters. Here’s part of a Statement of Purpose I wrote months before I learned of Imagination Library:

“ In this City — with its deep & varied literary history and present, including plenty of notable authors both home-grown and transplanted because brimful of a rich, intellectual and creative soup — in this city it is a crime that there are children entering our schools who do not already own a substantial collection of books. The reasons why are complex and important, I’m sure, for another person to address. For me, the solution — putting books, good books, in children’s homes from long before school begins, is simple. Just give them books. From birth, regularly.”

Thank goodness Dolly had the same idea.