The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is available to children in Washington. Washington Public LIbrary Foundation Board Member Heather Marek outlines how young families with children up to five-years old can sign up at ImaginationLibrary.com, “Up at the top you want to check availability and then it asks you to put in your zip code or your city. And from there it will tell you if your zip code is approved, and then you can go in and register your child.”

The Washington Public Library sponsors the children in the Washington, Brighton and Ainsworth zip codes. The Kalona Public Library offers the program for the Kalona and Riverside zip codes. Marek shares how she feels it benefits area children, “I love to read and I have since probably day one. So I just remember in school going to the library and the Scholastic book drives, and you get your own book in your hands – it’s just so exciting that this is yours. You know, everything else in life at that age is really not your own, but you have this book that you can read, and read, and read. Or share with others, share with your siblings, obviously parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, you can all read together and share those stories. So no matter what your economic status is in life, you can always have a book. So we just felt that was so important for the kids in the community.”

Each month kids signed up in the program receive one free book to build their own libraries at home and grow their reading skills. Community donations can be made to the library foundation to help support the participation and expenses related to the program locally.