MANSFIELD — Fran DeWine still remembers the moment she decided what her mission as First Lady would be.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a free book to more than 2 million children around the world each month. DeWine learned about the program years ago from two of its beneficiaries — her own grandchildren.
“I was with my two grandkids one day and the books came in the mail,” DeWine recalled during a press conference Monday.
“I didn’t know anything about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, but I saw how excited they were. They took those books and tore that plastic off — ‘Read to me, read to me, grandma!'”
After doing some research, DeWine found that the program was only available in a handful of areas throughout the state.
“I thought, if (Gov.) Mike (DeWine) wins the election and becomes governor, that’s what I want to do. I want every single child to be eligible to get these books,” she said. “We started out with about 13 percent of the kids under five signed up and now we’re up to 60 percent.”
DeWine commended a trio of local agencies Monday during a visit to the Buckeye Imagination Museum for relaunching the program in Richland County.
Richland Public Health, the Richland County Youth & Family Council and the Community Health Access Project (CHAP) have partnered to sponsor the program in Richland County for 2024.
Julie Chaya, Richland County’s health commissioner, said about 66 percent (4,459) of Richland County’s age-eligible children are registered.
Program mails books at no cost to families
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails one age-appropriate book to children between birth and five years of age at no cost to the families involved.
Country Singer Dolly Parton created the program in honor of her father, who grew up in a poor rural community in Tennessee and was unable to read or write.
Children are eligible regardless of their income level.
“She didn’t want them just for poor kids, because she didn’t want a stigma with books,” DeWine said. “So even if your child has books, sign your kids up.”
DeWine said about 60 percent of age-eligible children are signed up statewide.
“We love to sign them up in the hospital if we can, because we know if we get them signed up right away, that they’re going to get 60 books before they’ve turned five years old,” DeWine said.
“I think the coolest thing about the project is that it makes the kids excited to read.”
More local support needed to keep the program going in 2025
In Ohio, local communities cover half of the program costs while the state matches the other half.
The non-profit Dollywood Foundation handles most of the logistics, including overhead and administrative expenses and the actual production, fulfillment and shipping of books.
County commissioner Tony Vero said Richland County had a flourishing Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program years ago, which he said began to lag after an attempt to regionalize the effort.
He said program officials contacted him last year and said Richland County was one of the few counties that didn’t have the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
“I said that didn’t make sense because I signed my daughter up when she was born and I knew we were supportive of it,” Vero said. “We’re all very excited to have it back.”
Each book costs $2.20 per child per month. The total cost of the program in Richland County is $117,717 annually. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio picks up half the cost. The remaining 50 percent ($58,858) is the responsibility of local donors and sponsors.
To help ensure the local program runs smoothly, the state Dolly Parton program will cover 100 percent of costs for the first six months. Richland Public Health and the county’s Youth & Family Council will pay the local costs for the second six months.
“Although our organizations have made this investment to guarantee programming this year, we are in need of local sponsors, donors and volunteers to keep the Richland County Imagination Library alive and thriving in 2025,” said Julie Chaya, Richland County’s health commissioner.
How can I sign up or support the local program?
To sign a child up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, click here or contact Richland Public Health at 419-774-4761.
Organizations or individuals who wish to support the local effort can reach out to 419-774-4761 or chps@richlandhealth.org to learn more about the coalition and sponsorship/donor opportunities.
Individuals can donate at this link and specify their funds are for Richland County by clicking the ‘Direct your donation’ button at the bottom of the form. A $26 donation will cover the cost of one child’s enrollment for a year.