AUGUSTA, Maine — Editor's note: The attached video was originally posted on Dec. 6, 2023.
What started as a passion project to teach children to read in her home state of Tennessee, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has become a global sensation — and Mainers are embracing the program with open arms.
The Maine State Library announced the expansion of Parton’s program in a Thursday social media post.
“In a survey about the program, one participating Maine parent said, ‘My daughter gets so excited every month when we find a new book in the mailbox. We read her new book as soon as it arrives and she’s started asking us to read with her more,”’ the post stated.
The Imagination Library provides free books through the mail to children up to five years old.
“Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month,” according to the nonprofit’s website.
Last December, Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced the expansion of the program at the Bangor Public Library. Mills said there are currently 4,500 Maine children enrolled in the program and hopes that number will increase to 63,000.
“We need every child to learn to read at the earliest age … learn to enjoy books for a variety of reasons,” Mills said in December at the Bangor Public Library.
The program is made available through funding from Parton and local community partners in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
Mills announced that $200,000 would be allocated to this program in December. While the program is not available to every community, the list is growing.
To see if Parton's program is available near you, click here.