Dolly Parton's Imagination Library expands across Oregon with help of $1.7 million in state funds

Oregon's new Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program has been expanded and will now allow access to free monthly books for all children ages 0-5 in 36 counties statewide, officials announced this week.

Gov. Tina Kotek unveiled the statewide expansion of the program on Wednesday, saying the state will work toward its goal to bring the monthly service available to all 220,000 Oregon children ages 0-5, promoting early interest in reading and literacy development.“We know that every child is full of promise,” Kotek said in a press release. “The expansion of this program across Oregon is another key step we are taking as part of a broader strategy to improve how we support our kids as they learn to read.”Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which first launched in 1995, allows every child under the age of 5 to enroll and receive a free monthly age-appropriate book in the mail. Since it was started, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has given over 220 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and The Republic of Ireland. Every month, the Imagination Library mails more than 3 million books to children's homes, at no cost to families.

The Imagination Library is supported by The Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by celebrity and philanthropist Dolly Parton in 1988.

While there are other community programs with similar services, this expansion will allow children in all 36 Oregon counties to participate. Currently, 45,000 kids in Oregon 0-5 are enrolled and receive books through Imagination Library. Families in Oregon who are already registered with existing programs do not need to re-register and will continue to receive books without any interruptions.

The expansion is aided by $1.7 million in general funds allocated to Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care during the 2023 legislative session.

However, $1.7 million doesn't fully cover the Imagination Library's funding needs, as the DPIL model is based on partnerships with financial supporters at the local level, such as local businesses, school districts and more.

The state is seeking new local program partners while existing Imagination Library programs are encouraged to grow their capacity to register additional children.

“When state government partners with organizations like DPIL, we can truly make Oregon a better place to live, learn, and raise a family,” House Democratic Leader Ben Bowman said. “Because of this program, many thousands of Oregon kids will learn to love reading. I am sincerely grateful to all those who played a role in developing this program in Oregon — and to Dolly and the entire team at DPIL for their vision in starting it.”This statewide expansion of the Imagination Library follows Kotek's efforts to boost literacy rates across the state including the 2023 Early Literacy Success Initiative, which allocated $90 million to be distributed across every school district in the state to strengthen preparation and support for current teachers and school leaders.

The Early Literacy Success Initiative also created $20 million for resources to support parents and families with literacy development before their children begin preschool or kindergarten, which extensive research has shown is the most formative years of children’s brain development.

“Brain science clearly shows that kids start to develop literacy skills from birth,” DELC Director Alyssa Chatterjee said in a press release. “That’s why, here in Oregon, we’re making major investments to help our children develop the joy of reading.”

"I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer," Parton is quoted on the Imagination Library website. "The seeds of these dreams are often found in books."

To learn more about becoming a community partner, contact Rachel King at rking@imaginationlibrary.com. Visit www.imaginationlibrary.com to learn more about the program.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library free books for kids expands across Oregon