Washington, D.C. – The District of Columbia Public Library marked a milestone this month as its long‑standing partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library reached nearly 4 million books delivered to local children. The program, which began in February 2016, sends a free, age‑appropriate book each month to children from birth through age five.
Local impact
Executive Director Richard Reyes‑Gavilan said more than 100,000 D.C. children have participated since the program’s inception, with about 30,000 children currently enrolled each month – roughly four out of every five eligible children in the District. “That’s almost four out of every five eligible children in the District,” he noted, emphasizing the reach of the monthly mailings.
Parents consistently tell Reyes‑Gavilan how grateful they are for the books arriving at their doors. “District parents tell me how thankful they are that as soon as their child was born, they were getting books in the mail,” he said. “More than just the literacy aspects, just to have something tactile that parents could bond with their infants over.”
Funding and sustainability
While the books are provided to families at no cost, the District helps cover the program’s expenses. Discounted pricing keeps the cost to roughly $25 per child each year, a modest investment that yields a lifetime of reading habit formation.
Origins and mission
Parton launched the Imagination Library in her home state of Tennessee in 1995 as a tribute to her father, Robert Lee Parton, whose inability to read, she says, limited his opportunities. “My daddy told me that the Imagination Library probably was the most important thing I’d ever done,” Parton explained in a video about the program.
Reyes‑Gavilan, who grew up in a low‑income immigrant household without books at home, sees a personal connection to the initiative. “As someone who also comes from pretty deep poverty, we didn’t have books in my home when I was a kid,” he recalled. “Now I’m leading the D.C. public library system and have the privilege of meeting Dolly Parton, who gave me a hug and reminded me I had nothing to worry about.”
Looking ahead
The Imagination Library reports that more than 300 million free books have been placed in children’s hands worldwide, and the partnership with D.C. remains a cornerstone of its mission. “I share this dream that all children should grow up in a home full of books,” Parton said, underscoring the program’s continued focus on early childhood literacy.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
