Raleigh Durham, NC, August 26, 2026 —

North Carolina is set to become the first state outside of Tennessee to offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program statewide, a move that will provide free books to children across the region.

The initiative aims to foster a love of reading and improve early literacy skills among young children. The Imagination Library, founded by country music superstar Dolly Parton, mails a free, age-appropriate book each month to registered children from birth until they turn five years old.

This expansion means that families throughout North Carolina will have access to the program, regardless of their geographic location within the state. Previously, participation in the Imagination Library was often dependent on local community partnerships or individual county funding.

The program’s expansion is anticipated to significantly impact early childhood development by ensuring that more children have access to books in their homes during crucial formative years. Early literacy is widely recognized as a key predictor of future academic success.

While the exact timeline for the full statewide rollout and the specific funding mechanisms were not provided in the summary, the commitment to making the program available to all North Carolina children marks a significant step in early childhood education initiatives within the state.

Tennessee is the only other state to have previously offered the program statewide. The expansion in North Carolina is expected to serve a substantial number of children, though the precise figures are yet to be announced.



Story summarized from the original created by Tom George on abc11.com, see more information here.

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