Gov. Andy Beshear and First Lady Britainy Beshear welcomed Grammy Award-winning artist, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton to Kentucky on Tuesday to celebrate the state’s success in getting free books into the hands of children in every county in the commonwealth.
More than 500 local Imagination Library program partners, library staff, literacy advocates and others who helped expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across Kentucky gathered at the historic Lyric Theatre in downtown Lexington to hear inspiring words from Parton and recognize this milestone.
Now, all Kentucky children can receive one free book per month, from birth to age 5, ensuring they can build their own at-home library before starting kindergarten.
“I’m thrilled to celebrate our statewide Imagination Library partnership today with Governor Andy Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear, and our local program partners from across Kentucky. It warms my heart to know that every child from birth to age 5 across the state can register to receive the gift of a monthly Imagination Library book,” Parton said. “Together, we’re inspiring a love of reading that will last a lifetime.”
In celebration of Parton’s visit, Beshear proclaimed August as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky Month in the commonwealth and named Parton a member of the Honorary Order of Kentucky Colonels.
Britainy Beshear presented Parton with a copy of First Dog Winnie’s new coloring book, “Winnie Goes on a Kentucky State Parks Adventure!” In return, Parton gifted the Beshears with a copy of her children’s book “Coat of Many Colors,” a retelling of her classic autobiographical song first released in 1971.
“As parents, Britainy and I have seen first-hand how important early childhood education is as kids get ready for kindergarten and the rest of their lives,” Beshear said. “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is making a huge difference for kids in Kentucky and beyond, so they can spend time reading and learning with their families. We were so honored to have Dolly Parton herself with us here today to celebrate her legacy and the life-changing impact that books can have on a child’s future.”
On the Lyric’s stage, the Beshears sat down with Parton to learn more about her inspiration for creating the Imagination Library, her advice on encouraging families to participate in the program, who had the greatest influence on her life and what she has planned for the future.
Before departing the stage, Parton wrapped up the visit by performing a few of her hit songs, including “Try” and “Coat of Many Colors.”
Kentucky has a long history of success with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, thanks to local program partners. More than 20 years ago, Henderson County established the first Imagination Library program in Kentucky. Since then, more than six million books have been delivered to preschool-age children in every ZIP code in the commonwealth.
The program is supported by a 50 percent state to local program funding match, which was included in the state budget that was approved by the General Assembly and signed into law by Beshear in 2021. The following year, lawmakers and the governor formalized their commitment to a statewide program by passing legislation and including funding in the two-year budget. The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky’s statewide program partner.
All Kentucky children are eligible to register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library from birth until age 5. Currently, more than 120,000 Kentucky kids, just over 45 percent of all eligible preschoolers in the state, are enrolled in the program.
To receive books, a parent or guardian must register their child on the Imagination Library website. Books are mailed directly to the homes of registered children every month, until their fifth birthday. There is no cost to the families and no deadline to register.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has gifted over 250 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland.
This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Community or State Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age 5 – at no cost to families. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.
The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit ImaginationLibrary.com.
By Ken Howlett, News Director and the Governor’s Office
