ROGERSVILLE — The Hawkins County Commission made a proclamation in honor of the county’s Imagination Library, which has served the community for 20 years.
“Whereas there are 2,632 Hawkins County children eligible for the program,†Mayor Mark DeWitte read in the proclamation, “and 2,376 books delivered to those children each month, which is 90% of Hawkins County preschoolers.â€
DeWitte declared August 2025 as Imagination Library Month in Hawkins County at the last meeting, and encouraged citizens to support the program.
County Clerk Nancy Davis presented Imagination Library Coordinator Charlotte Britton and Treasurer Charlotte Webb with the proclamation.
The Hawkins County Imagination Library is a partnership between the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and local volunteers for the Hawkins County Imagination Library, Britton later told the Times News.
“Hawkins County Imagination Library mails one new age-appropriate book each month to any registered Hawkins County child from birth until 5,†Britton said.
The library started in the county in 2005, making this year its 20th year of existence. Since the start, 436,743 books have been delivered to Hawkins County children.
The first book a child receives when registered is “The Little Engine That Could†by Watty Piper, and the last book is “Look Out, Kindergarten, Here I Come!†by Nancy Carlson.
If registered since birth, a child will receive 60 books by the time he or she turns 5.
