SPRINGFIELD – From her melodic voice to her voluminous blonde hair, Dolly Parton has been a fixture of popular culture for decades. In addition to crafting heartfelt, toe-tapping tunes and starring in television and films loved by a multi-generational fanbase, she is also known as “The Book Lady.”
Founded in 1995, Dolly’s Imagination Library is a testament to Parton’s passion for literacy. The program’s initial hometown roots equipped children residing in Sevier County, TN, with a desire to read and learn.
Since its inception 30 years ago, Dolly’s Imagination Library has expanded to five countries, with over 2 million books distributed to over 3 million children. Registered participants from birth to age five receive a hand-selected, age-appropriate book at no cost to their families each month. However, each community is responsible for raising funds to keep the program going in their area.
Laurie McNichols, Oregon State Director at Dolly’s Imagination Library, shared that Oregon supports 50% of the cost for local program partners, often creating the misconception that funding is no longer necessary. While the state funding match is designed to ensure that more children can be enrolled in the program, additional dollars are still “absolutely needed.”

“Right now, we’re under 30% of statewide coverage. When I started in August, we were at about 25. We are (at) about 29% and some change,” McNichols said. “We have a lot of progress to make statewide. Some of our local program partners have a lot more. They’re closer to 40 or 50% enrollment, which is great. But to be able to accomplish that, all of our local program partners still need the funding that they’ve historically received.”
Julia McMorran, president of the Springfield Young Readers board, uses an appropriate analogy to help Oregonians determine the success of a program.
“When a program is really running, it looks like a duck on top of the water, and whatever happens, the duck is just floating,” McMorran said. “Granted, they are paddling like heck underneath to make sure that everything’s working. But on top of that, what the parents and the family see is that this wonderful book arrives at their door.”


Since its unveiling in 2019, the Springfield branch of Dolly’s Imagination Library has made incredible strides, with 110,236 books mailed out and 4,053 children part of the program. McMorran estimates that a total of 2,040 children are served each month.
Michelle Sheng-Palmisano, Co-Director of Early Childhood Hub for United Way Lane County, also expressed that United Way is a “proud affiliate of the Dolly Imagination Library program.”
“In the past five years, we have mailed books to over 100,000 children in rural Lane County! We love how the program is free for families and helps them build their home library,” Sheng-Palmisano said in a statement. “Most brain development happens before the age of 5, and reading is a critical cornerstone for this, so we see it as a really smart investment in our community’s future to help parents and caregivers encourage our children’s growth through a book gifting program like Imagination Library.”

PHOTO PROVIDED / JOYCE SMITH JOHNSON
In short, McMorran and McNichols are no strangers to the power of books and their impact on young people, having worked extensively with SMART Reading. The organization pairs children with an attentive volunteer who reads with them one-on-one weekly during the academic year, inspiring a passion for the written word and a sense of self-confidence and providing invaluable bonds with a mentor.
Both believe that Dolly’s Imagination Library is more than the books; it is about the lasting memories they can provide for parents and caregivers.
When asked to summarize the program’s impact in one word, McNichols swiftly answered, “Love.”
“That was the intention behind Dolly’s mission in the first place. It’s what happens between a parent, a guardian, a caregiver, and their young person,” McNichols said. “When they’re reading, they’re snuggled up, and it’s such a special shared moment. It’s love.”
ALSO READ: Did you know Dolly Parton made a song called “Eugene, Oregon”? In honor of Parton’s birthday on Jan. 19, music writer Ron Hartman shares some little-known facts about the philanthropist and artist. Read more here.
Correction: This article was corrected to reflect that books were mailed out to 4,053 children as part of the program, not 404,798. The Chronicle regrets this error and strives for accuracy.