Our Founding

United Ways of the Pacific Northwest, together with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, have partnered with American Icon Dolly Parton to provide high quality, age-appropriate monthly books to children from birth to age five from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Thanks to legislation passed in 2022, the Imagination Library of Washington became the first statewide program of its kind on the West Coast. Today, 45 local program partners operate across every county, helping young children build a strong foundation in literacy and learning. 

Inspired by her father’s struggles with illiteracy, Dolly Parton—affectionately known to children around the world as the “Book Lady”—launched the Imagination Library in 1995 in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. What began as her heartfelt dream to spark a love of reading in young children has grown far beyond those county lines. Today, the program reaches families across five countries and delivers more than 3 million books to children every month.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is now the nation’s premier early literacy initiative, widely recognized for advancing school readiness, expanding equitable access to high-quality books, and igniting a lifelong passion for reading. This high-quality, turn-key program transforms lives by ensuring that every child—regardless of zip code or family income—can experience the joy and power of books. Proven to strengthen early learning skills, deepen family connections, and foster a love of reading that lasts a lifetime, the Imagination Library helps children build the strong foundation they need to thrive. As Dolly herself reminds us, “You can never get enough books into the hands of enough children.”

“The Imagination Library has been such a gift to our family! My girls get so excited whenever we receive a new book in the mail and want to read it right away. I love how it has encouraged a desire for learning, along with a love for books for my girls, and I’m sure for countless others as well. Thank you for this amazing program!” - Rebekah, mother and daughters Eliana and Ruby

How It Works

Imagination Library of Washington works with the national program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, as well as local nonprofit organizations in each county across the state, to ensure all books remain at no cost to families. By working alongside The Dollywood Foundation and our Local Program Partners, Imagination Library of Washington is able to maximize the impact on Washington's children through strategic resource allocation.

Since 1995, The Dollywood Foundation has been the backbone of this literacy program. The national program has many roles, including the coordination of the yearly Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee, monthly book production, fulfillment, as well as managing the shipment processing center. Their continued support makes it cost effective for Imagination Library of Washington and our Local Program Partners to currently provide books to 80,000+ children.

Imagination Library of Washington provides a strategic layer of support to our statewide program. As a 501(c)(3), Washington's statewide program is responsible for fostering growth, development, and sustainability in all 39 counties. Matching funding, key partnerships, training opportunities, and marketing tools provided by the state team has allowed for rapid enrollment growth. The key to our success is Washington's Local Program Partners. These organizations are 501(c)(3) entities who actively promote, fundraise, and manage the program on a day-to-day basis.

Although books are free to families, they are not free to the community. Each book is $2.60. Each Local Program Partner pays 50% of each book each month in their assigned county or counties, totaling $1.30. The statewide team provides a 50% match, which ensures the program is at no cost to all Washington families.

By providing books at no cost to families, the Imagination Library increases childhood literacy rates, fosters a love of books, and promotes a culture of reading among families and communities of Washington.