United Ways of the Pacific Northwest (UWPNW), in partnership with Washington State Department of Children, Youth, & Families and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) have teamed up with world-class super star and philanthropist, Dolly Parton, to expand Dolly Parton's Imagination Library throughout every county in Washington. Established as a statewide program through legislation in 2022, the Imagination Library of Washington became the first west coast expansion and the eleventh statewide program nationwide among the 21 existing statewide programs. Currently serving 120,000 children from birth to age five in every county in partnership with Washington’s 46 local program partners, more than 1 in 4 eligible children are receiving their free monthly book delivered to their home from the Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton created the Imagination Library in 1995 as a tribute to her father, whose inability to read and write lead her to inspiring children around the world with the delivery of a free, high quality book mailed to children from the day they are born until their fifth birthday, at no cost to a family. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the nation’s leading early literacy program, recognized for its powerful impact on school readiness, equitable access to high-quality books, and inspiring a lifelong love of reading. This quality, turn-key program transforms lives by ensuring that every child, regardless of their zip code or family income, has access to the power of books. Proven to boost school readiness, foster a deep love for reading, and inspire meaningful family connections, the program helps children build strong foundations for lifelong learning. As Dolly Parton often says, "you can never get enough books into the hands of enough children." 

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 120,000+ 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 46 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.