BEAVERCREEK, Ohio — At a recent event held at the Greene County Public Library, Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine commemorated a significant achievement for the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio—the distribution of 20 million books to children throughout Ohio.
DeWine read “Coat of Many Colors” to children, a book gifted by Dolly Parton during her visit in 2022, which marked the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library Program. The event also included a craft session where children created their own “coat of many colors.”
She expressed her commitment to the program, stating, “When Mike first ran for Governor, I knew I wanted to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Ohio so every family could have access to the program’s high-quality, age-appropriate, free books.” She added that with the support of the Ohio General Assembly, the program has expanded significantly, now reaching 70% of households with children under the age of 5.
Initiated statewide in 2019 through efforts by Fran DeWine, the Imagination Library of Ohio has seen substantial growth. The program, supported by the Dollywood Foundation, offers books at a discounted rate, which is made possible by state funding and donations. Presently, 411,228 children are enrolled in the program, which represents 62% of the state’s eligible children, or 70% of households with eligible children.
The program mails a high-quality, age-appropriate book monthly to enrolled children from birth until their fifth birthday. Ohio families interested in registering their children for free books can sign up at Ohioimaginationlibrary.org. This initiative aims to foster early childhood literacy and a love of reading among Ohio’s youngest residents.