Dolly Parton’s Legacy Boosts Imagination Library Enrollment in Will County

Interest in the Imagination Library of Will County, a program offering free books to children up to age five, has grown significantly following the death of Dolly Parton, the founder of the national initiative. Officials reported that more than 730 parents in Will County have registered since Parton’s passing on August 25.

Program Origins and Expansion

The Imagination Library, launched by Parton in 1995, aims to foster a love of reading among young children. In July 2025, the local version began in Will County through a partnership between the county executive’s office and the Will County Economic Development Foundation. Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant was instrumental in bringing the program to the area after learning about it at a Nashville conference during her tenure as a state senator.

Parton announced an expansion of the book gifting program in Illinois in December 2023. Governor JB Pritzker allocated $1.6 million to support this in the 2024 fiscal year budget. Bertino-Tarrant expressed her enthusiasm for the program in an email, citing her passion for reading and the well-documented benefits of reading to children.

Current Enrollment and Impact

Approximately 8,800 children in Will County have benefited from receiving monthly books. Around 1,100 children graduated this past year, aging out of the program at five years old. Currently, about 7,720 children are actively enrolled, with 736 new children signed up in the past week alone, according to Mike Theodore, a spokesman for the county executive’s office.

The surge in interest has also led to increased inquiries about supporting the program financially. Donations can be made online, with $16 sponsoring a year of books for one child. Due to the heightened interest, the program’s website is experiencing high traffic and some technical delays.

Community Support and Contributions

The local program has been supported by various donations and fundraisers. In May 2025, Jackson Generation donated $25,000 and pledged an additional $25,000 this year. The Rotary Club of Joliet contributed $50,000, while Amazon made a $30,000 donation last year. Proceeds from a fundraiser celebrating Parton’s 80th birthday in January sponsored 875 children for a year.

The program, supported by individual and corporate donors, has shown a 29% improvement in kindergarten readiness among participants, according to research. This underscores the value of early childhood education facilitated by the Imagination Library.