Oregon Celebrates Full Statewide Coverage of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Oregon has achieved full statewide coverage of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, ensuring all children under five receive free monthly books. This milestone, reached just a year after statewide expansion commenced, was facilitated by a partnership between the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) and The Dollywood Foundation. The state allocated $1.7 million via Senate Bill 5506, establishing a 50/50 state match to cover book and mailing costs. Enrollment has surged from 54,278 to 65,497 children since the state match was implemented. The final piece, bringing books to Reedsport and Gardiner, was achieved through collaboration between the Lower Umpqua Library, Reedsport Rotary Foundation, and a grant from the Oregon Community Foundation. This initiative underscores the importance of early childhood literacy, with studies indicating increased parental engagement and improved language development for participating families. For construction firms, this represents a long-term investment in human capital, potentially yielding a more skilled and literate future workforce. Read More