Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Gifts Nearly 20,000 Books across Mohawk Valley

Dolly Parton is doing her part to help thousands of local children fall in love with reading before they start kindergarten.

Since first coming to the Mohawk Valley a little under 2 years ago, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has spread to 7 school districts in the area.

Dolly's nationwide program sends children under 5 years of age a free book every month. It's estimated one in 7 children are part of the Imagination Library program.

Nationally, the Imagination Library has served over 3.1 million kids and gifted them roughly 280 million books.

Read More: Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Including More CNY Schools

Here in the Mohawk Valley, the numbers are just as impressive.

In a joint press release by Perch Place and The Genesis Group, it was announced that over 2,000 children in the region are currently registered.

In turn, the nationwide program has gifted these children more than 18,250 books.

The current districts participating in the Imagination Library include:

• Camden CSD
• Central Valley CSD
• Dolgeville CSD
• Herkimer CSD
• Holland Patent CSD
• Little Falls CSD
• Utica CSD

Those living in the above district areas with children less than 5-years-old are eligible to sign up for the Imagination Library, and can do so by visiting the program's official website.

Said Perch Place and Genesis in the release:

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation. It mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth until age five, regardless of the family’s income.

The Imagination Library was brought to the area thanks in part to The Genesis Group and the Ready for Kindergarten (R4K) program.

Lauren Wirt, Regional Director of the Dollywood Foundation, said of the expansion, "There is nothing more basic, more essential, and more foundational to a child's success in life, than the ability to read."

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Dolly started the Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who was illiterate. The country superstar said she knew how much her dad was affected by his inability to read and wanted to ensure no child grows up not knowing the wonder of a good book.