Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has earmarked $1.6 million for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program in his new 2024 fiscal year budget.

The program touts itself as being dedicated to improving the lives of children by advancing a love of reading.

The Imagination Library initiative gifts free books to children up to age 5 regardless of household income, a recent WQAD report said. The program dates back to 1995 and is now being replicated across the country. It is administered by the Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Parton in 1988.

“Imagination Libraries are already working their magic at a few dozen locations around the state, and the teamwork of my administration and the Dollywood Foundation will make it possible to bring Dolly to every doorstep,” Pritzker said in the report. “As a longtime early childhood advocate, I’m incredibly excited for what’s to come. These are some of the most crucial years for learning of a person’s lifetime, and this initiative will connect low-income families to resources their children will need for lifelong success.”

Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton also lauded the Imagination Library program.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to discover worlds beyond their imagination," she said in the report. "Leaders who put education first make this possible. Thanks to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, children in every corner of Illinois can receive free books mailed directly to their home. I applaud early childhood advocates like Dolly Parton, who are helping our children find joy in reading and creating future generations of avid readers.”

Pritzker’s new budget also includes a total of $250 million for several early childhood initiatives. The Smart Start Illinois Plan will receive $75 million for the Early Childhood Block Grant to create 5,000 new preschool seats for the upcoming school year, $130 million in funding will go to support new childcare workforce compensation contracts, $40 million will go to early intervention aimed at providing a rate increase to providers and increased access to therapeutic services for young children with developmental disabilities or delays, and $5 million will be used to expand the Home Visiting program to fulfill the service demand.