Dolly Parton visits Olympia to celebrate 65,000 enrolled WA children for Imagination Library

Legendary musical icon Dolly Parton visited Olympia Tuesday to celebrate statewide coverage of the Imagination Library, Parton’s free children’s book gifting program.

The event featured a fireside chat with Parton, a small performance, and recognition of people across the state who have worked to make the Imagination Library possible in Washington.

The Imagination Library, which started in 1995, offers all Washington children from birth to age five a free book every month.

To help signify Parton’s visit, Gov. Jay Inslee proclaimed Tuesday as ‘Imagination Library of Washington Day.’

“We welcome the great Dolly Parton to celebrate our statewide program and promote registration for our youngest learners into the Imagination Library. It is important to get high-quality books to children from a young age and ensure that their families, and their unique races, ethnicities, and identities are well-represented among the selection of books,” Inslee said.

Sixty-five thousand Washington children are enrolled and more than 1.6 million books have been gifted to children across the state.

“here we are…we’re going all over the state of Washington. And that is such a wonderful thing. Just think of all the books we’re going to put in the hands of so many children. "

Families with children under five can sign up for the Imagination Library here.