Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Inspires a Spirit of Giving This Holiday Season
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library welcomes the holiday season by celebrating major achievements in literacy while cherishing the gift of quality time with family.
As of November 2021, Dolly’s childhood literacy program has gifted over 170 million books to children across the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. As we enter into the holidays, the Imagination Library continues to embrace the spirit of the season by gifting more books to more children around the world and inspiring us all to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More!
Gifting More Books to More Children
Dolly's dream has always been to inspire a love of reading among preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. What started in 1995 in Dolly's hometown of Sevier County, TN, however, has now grown into an international program. While Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation cover many overhead costs and administration needs, the Imagination Library is made possible through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local communities. So, when the program becomes available to children in new areas, it's an accomplishment worth celebrating!
Imagination Library Expands Across Kansas
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, Representative Troy Waymaster and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet recently joined Dolly to announce that the Imagination Library would soon be available to all children under five in Kansas! The goal of the statewide expansion is to make books available to children ages 0-5 in every zip code in Kansas.
Currently Kansas has 82 programs covering portions of 77 of Kansas’ 105 counties. Once full county participation is achieved, Kansas will join only 12 states and the District of Columbia that have earned this distinction. Continue to check availability as the Imagination Library expands programs across the state!
Kentucky Kicks Off Statewide Expansion
Kentucky families are also celebrating after news that the Imagination Library will soon be available to all children under five in the Bluegrass State! Dolly recently announced the statewide expansion of her Imagination Library program in Kentucky, through funding shared by Dolly, the State of Kentucky and local community partnerships.
The Imagination Library of Kentucky expansion will focus on reaching more children and families to increase registration in existing Imagination Library Programs in the state, while finding community partners to start new Imagination Library programs in Kentucky. Visit imaginationlibrary.com/kentucky to learn more and check availability as the program expands across the state!
Cherish The Gift of Quality Family Time
The holidays are special for many reasons, but perhaps most special of all is the quality time spent with family. The holidays are a wonderful time of the year to cozy up with your child and read a good book together! Here are a few of the specially-selected, age-appropriate books going out to registered children this season.
"The Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats
Perhaps nothing is so magical as waking up to wintery blanket of snow, and this book by Ezra Jack Keats captures that magic beautifully!
"Counting on Snow" by Maxwell Newhouse
The gorgeous illustrations in this book by folk artist Maxwell Newhouse provide a lovely introduction to numbers and the animals of the northern wilderness.
"Otto the Book Bear in the Snow" by Katie Cleminson
Otto is a bear who lives in a book in the library with his friend, Ernest. Read about their incredible adventure through the snow as they try to get back to the library for the special winter party!
Show Your Thanks by Giving
Join in the spirit of the season and share the gift of literacy with families in your community by donating to your local Imagination Library! A donation as small as $25 covers the cost of providing an Imagination Library book to a child each month for 1 year!
New to the Imagination Library?
Check availability in your area to register a child, sign up to receive a notification when the Imagination Library becomes available to you or learn more about how to Start A Program in your area.
