Interest in the Imagination Library of Will County surged following the death of its national founder, Dolly Parton. In the past week, more than 730 parents registered their children in the program. The Imagination Library delivers free, age-appropriate books to children up to age five, promoting a love of reading and learning.
The Will County initiative, launched in July 2025, grew from a collaboration between the county executive’s office and the Will County Economic Development Foundation. County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant brought the program to the county after discovering it at a Nashville conference while serving as a state senator. Illinois’s partnership with the Dollywood Foundation helped facilitate this expansion. In December 2023, Parton announced more support for her book gifting program, with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker allocating $1.6 million for its expansion in the state’s 2024 fiscal year budget.
Bertino-Tarrant expressed her enthusiasm for the program in a statement, highlighting the benefits of reading to children. “Reading to children at an early age is well-documented to have emotional, social, and academic benefits. I seized the opportunity to initiate something beneficial for young families in our community,” she remarked.
Within the last year, approximately 8,800 children in Will County benefited from receiving monthly books. Among them, about 1,100 children graduated from the program upon turning five, each receiving a final book and a letter from Parton. Currently, 7,720 children remain active participants, with recent additions bringing the total. The program’s representative, Mike Theodore, noted an unusual spike in registrations after the founder’s passing.
Celebrations took place earlier this year, as guests enjoyed cake at a fundraiser marking Parton’s 80th birthday. This event, held at Joliet’s Hollywood Casino, successfully raised funds sufficient to sponsor 875 children for one year.
On average, 100 to 130 new children enroll monthly. Will County’s enthusiastic response has positioned the county as a leader in Illinois for Imagination Library enrollments. However, the surge in national interest following Parton’s death has caused registrations to slow due to high website traffic.
Besides increased enrollments, the county has seen more inquiries about funding the program. Donations to offer books to children can be made online at WillCountyImaginationLibrary.org. A simple $16 donation supports one child for a year, $80 supports five children, and $160 supports ten. The recent surge in traffic has led to some delays on the website.
In addition to individual contributions, companies and nonprofits have shown significant support. Jackson Generation contributed $25,000 initially and pledged another $25,000 this year. The Rotary Club of Joliet donated $50,000 to kick-start the program, and Amazon provided $30,000 last year.
The Dollywood Foundation’s committee selects books monthly to bolster early childhood education. Research indicates children in the Imagination Library see a 29% improvement in readiness for kindergarten.