Wichita on the Cheap

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FREE Books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s children’s book donation program, Imagination Library, has now expanded to allow EVERY child under age 5 in the state to be eligible! This expansion is possible through increased funding provided to the Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund and the Kansas Legislature. The funds supplement local and regional resources to ensure equitable opportunity across the state.

The goal of the statewide expansion is to make books available to children ages 0-5 in every Kansas zip code. Last I checked, Kansas has 82 programs covering portions of 77 of Kansas’ 105 counties.

“We know that the most important factor in a child’s success in school and in life is an early introduction to books and being read to at home,” Governor Kelly said. “In Kansas, we are proud to connect our kids with the resources they need to succeed through the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library program. I want to thank those partners who have worked tirelessly to bring this program to their communities for building a strong foundation for this expansion.”

“I’m so excited to be working with Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Children’s Cabinet to bring my Imagination Library to more children and families across Kansas! Together, we can gift a love of reading that will last a lifetime,” says Dolly Parton.

  • Receive a FREE book every month until the age of 5.
  • We have built up quite a collection, and my daughter loves getting a new book each month. I highly recommend!

Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995. Through this program, children can be exposed to great age-appropriate books at a critical age to help set them up for success before they start traditional schooling. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month until their fifth birthday – at no cost to families!

Last August, Dolly Parton was in our Sunflower State to celebrate this statewide success at a closed event hosted by the Imagination Library of Kansas. Currently, Kansas has over 52,200 children enrolled in the Imagination Library program and has gifted more than 3.8 million books to local children! 

Take advantage of this opportunity and enroll your children in the program. Instill a love of literacy within your family and build their library for free!

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7 Responses

  1. It’s a great program. We love it! Only certain zipcodes in Wichita are eligible though. We’re in 67208 & are eligible.

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