Governor and First Lady DeWine Celebrate New Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library International Recognition

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine join Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio in highlighting a new groundbreaking international study showcasing the positive impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library on children and families.

Led by researcher Dr. Claire Galea, the new groundbreaking study published by the Dollywood Foundation is the largest-ever shared book reading study, surveying more than 86,000 caregivers in Ohio and across the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia.

Findings from the international study show that books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library significantly strengthen children’s early literacy skills and family reading habits. The Imagination Library mails one free, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age 5.

“This new research backs what Ohio families have been sharing with us – that children with Imagination Library books inside the home love to read, and read often, and are better prepared when they get to kindergarten,” said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine.

Globally, the study found that children who receive books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library are 15 times more likely to respond to and join in reading compared with children who are not enrolled in the program. Children who receive the books are nine times more likely to be read to four or more days per week.

The study also found that after receiving just 10 books, children in the program are at least four times more likely to demonstrate stronger emergent literacy skills – such as stronger vocabulary (6x) and phonological awareness (7x) – compared to children not in the program.

“We are proud of the fact that our friends in the Ohio legislature continue to financially support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, along with local partners in every Ohio county,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.  “This new study, the largest in the world on shared book reading, provides more evidence that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program is a winning investment in children, families across the world, and especially here in Ohio.”

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio is currently serving a record number of children. This month, 418,924 Ohio children will receive an Imagination Library book. Ohio remains the largest statewide program in the United States.

First Lady DeWine established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio in 2019 with The Dollywood Foundation, Dolly Parton’s 501c3 nonprofit. Since then, more than 25 million books have been gifted to more than one million Ohio children.

A new initiative last year to sign up newborns at Ohio hospitals as part of the birth certificate paperwork has resulted in more than 37,000 newborns enrolling and eligible to receive all 60 books that the Imagination Library program offers.

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