Credit to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
June 19, 2023 – Thanks to the State of Illinois’ fiscal year 2024 budget, a program that has already been impacting Macon County children will now be available statewide.
“Imagination Libraries are already working their magic at a few dozen locations around the state, and the teamwork of my administration and the Dollywood Foundation will make it possible to bring Dolly to every doorstep,” said Gov. JB Pritzker in a press release. “These are some of the most crucial years for learning of a person’s lifetime, and this initiative will connect low-income families to resources their children will need for lifelong success.”
The Macon County Imagination Library, an affiliate of the national program sponsored by The Community Foundation of Macon County and United Way of Decatur & Mid-Illinois, launched for local children in 2021. However, Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton recently announced a $1.6 million allocation in next year’s budget that will bring the program to young Illinoisians across the state. Aimed to inspire a love of reading from a young age, the initiative mails free, high-quality books to children once monthly from birth until their fifth birthday.
According to the state’s press release, numerous studies have found that around 90% of brain development happens during the first five years of life, meaning developing literacy skills early is crucial. The release said a 29% increase in kindergarten readiness has been seen in children who participate in the Imagination Library.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to discover worlds beyond their imagination. Thanks to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, children in every corner of Illinois can receive free books mailed directly to their home,” said Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton in the release. “I applaud early childhood advocates like Dolly Parton, who are helping our children find joy in reading and creating future generations of avid readers.”
The Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Dolly Parton herself in 1988, supports the Imagination Library nationwide. The program launched in Dolly’s hometown—Sevier County, Tennessee—in 1995, and had distributed one million books by 2003.
For more information about the national program, click HERE. To learn more about Macon County’s program or to register your child, click HERE.
