On Tuesday, August 9, Dolly Parton will be traveling the country to visit statewide celebrations of her Imagination Library in Ohio and West Virginia! Join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts as Ohio and West Virginia celebrate full statewide coverage of her Imagination Library and the eligibility of every child under five to enroll!
As the world’s preeminent early childhood book-gifting program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five in partnership with local community affiliates. Children whose parents enroll them in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library receive one new book in the mail each month, at no cost, from birth through age five. Over the course of enrollment, a personal library of as many as 60 books is created, helping form the foundation of a child’s early reading experience.
At 12:00 p.m. EST, tune in to watch Dolly as she joins Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine for a special conversation and brief musical performance to celebrate the success of the Imagination Library in Ohio. The special livestream broadcast will be available to watch simultaneously here on dollyparton.com, livestream.com and the Imagination Library Facebook page.
“It is an incredible honor to host Dolly Parton, and celebrate the success of her book gifting program here in Ohio,” said First Lady Fran DeWine. “Ohio’s Imagination Library is thriving, and we are truly blessed to have so many supporters of the program in every community across our great state. These books are changing the lives of so many children, and preparing them for kindergarten—and life!”
The Imagination Library program was brought statewide to Ohio in 2019, under the guidance of First Lady DeWine. Today, 350,566 children are enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, which means 49% of eligible children between birth to age five years old are enrolled in the program.
At 5:30 p.m. ET, tune in to watch Dolly as she joins West Virginia Governor Jim Justice for a sit-down interview and musical performance to celebrate the statewide expansion of West Virginia’s Imagination Library. The special livestream broadcast will be available to watch simultaneously on West Virginia Public Broadcasting television stations and social media channels, YouTube, as well as dollyparton.com and the Imagination Library Facebook page — and will include a performance by the Appalachian Children’s Chorus, greetings from Gov. Jim Justice, presentations from State Superintendent W. Clayton Burch, and a fireside chat with Marshall University President Brad Smith.
The Imagination Library program in West Virginia is administered through a partnership between Marshall University’s June Harless Center and the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE). Last year, the WVDE announced a major Imagination Library milestone with all 55 counties becoming active in the program. Dolly promised to visit West Virginia once all counties were onboard, making the state one of 11 in the U.S. with the distinction.
Tune in and join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts on August 9, 2022, as we celebrate the statewide success of the Imagination Library in Ohio and West Virginia! For more information on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, to check availability and register a child, visit imaginationlibrary.com.
On Thursday, May 5, Dolly Parton will be traveling the country to visit statewide celebrations of her Imagination Library in Delaware and Arkansas. Join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts as Delaware and Arkansas celebrate the success of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library!
As the world’s preeminent early childhood book-gifting program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five in partnership with local community affiliates. After tremendous support and growth in their Imagination Library programs, both Delaware and Arkansas have now achieved statewide coverage, making every child under age five eligible for enrollment.
Children whose parents enroll them in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library receive one new book in the mail each month, at no cost, from birth through age five. Over the course of enrollment, a personal library of as many as 60 books is created, helping form the foundation of a child’s early reading experience.
Tune in at 12:30 p.m. EST to watch as Dolly joins Governor John Carney and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney for a special conversation and brief musical performance celebrating the success of the Imagination Library in Delaware. The special livestream broadcast will be available to watch simultaneously on dollyparton.com and YouTube. (*Note: this event has been rescheduled to 12:30PM from its previously scheduled time.)
Governor Carney first announced a pilot launch of the Imagination Library program in five Delaware school districts in his 2020 State of the State address, with the Division of Libraries partnering with 13 local public libraries to make the program available to families within the pilot districts. Now, thanks to the tireless efforts of the program’s statewide partners and supporters, the Imagination Library has reached full statewide coverage in Delaware.
At 6:35 p.m. CST, Governor Asa Hutchinson, statewide leaders and local supporters welcome Dolly to the celebration in Arkansas for a brief musical performance and a live chat with local media personality, Craig O’Neill. Tune in to watch the special broadcast, streaming live simultaneously on dollyparton.com, Youtube and the Imagination Library Facebook page.
Since 2005, Imagination Library affiliates in Arkansas have gifted more than three million books, with more than 57,000 Arkansas children currently enrolled in the program. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the program’s statewide partners and supporters, the Imagination Library has now reached full statewide coverage, making all children under age five eligible for enrollment!
Tune in and join Dolly for two livestream broadcasts on May 5, 2022, as we celebrate the statewide success of the Imagination Library in Delaware and Arkansas! For more information on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, to check availability and register a child, visit imaginationlibrary.com.
