Dear Friends,
At the end of 2023, I attended the Council of State Governments’ annual convention. One of the biggest benefits of these legislative gatherings is the chance to learn about innovative programs making an impact across the country. The convention’s opening session highlighted Delaware’s recent implementation of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that has seen remarkable success in promoting early childhood literacy.
Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to provide free books to young children. Each month, registered children under the age of five receive an age-appropriate book by mail. What began as a local initiative in Tennessee has grown into an international program, now reaching 3.2 million children each month in the United States through partnerships with local nonprofit organizations.
To date, one in seven children under the age of five in the U.S. receives a book from the Imagination Library. According to Parton, the program’s mission is to “foster a love of reading and learning; with regard for diversity of people, their roles, culture and environment; promotion of self-esteem and confidence; and appreciation of art and aesthetics.” Extensive research supports the program’s effectiveness—42 independent studies have demonstrated positive impacts on family reading habits, kindergarten readiness, and early grade reading success.
Children participating in the Imagination Library consistently demonstrate stronger early reading, language, and social development skills. Among participating families, reading at least three times a week increased from 60% to 85%, and daily reading time doubled. Kindergarten readiness improved by 29%, and participants maintained higher reading achievement through ninth grade. Families also reported more frequent visits to public libraries—up 46%—and increased parent-child reading at home.
The need for literacy support in Pennsylvania is clear. In 2024, 44.2% of third graders and 48.6% of fourth graders scored “basic” or “below basic” on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) in reading—indicating a need for substantial academic support. At the same time, nearly half of public schools report teacher vacancies in special education and elementary grades. Expanding access to programs like the Imagination Library could help address these challenges by improving literacy from the earliest years.
While local affiliates help manage and fund the program nationwide, 22 states have now established statewide Imagination Library programs, 15 of which launched within the past three years. Most states fund 50% of program costs, though Washington, D.C., while North Carolina, Delaware, and Missouri fully fund their programs. Pennsylvania does not yet have a statewide initiative, but approximately 9% of Pennsylvania’s children under age five—about 63,000—are currently enrolled through one of 60 local affiliates.
To expand this opportunity, I reintroduced this bill to fund the Imagination Library House Bill 1663 (formerly House Bill 2025). The legislation recently passed in the House Children & Youth Committee, marking an important step toward bringing books to every young child in Pennsylvania. Under the bill, every child from birth to age five—roughly 700,000 children—would be eligible to receive free books through a statewide 50/50 funding model.