Oregon's First Lady Joins Community Reading Celebration At Wilsonville Public Library (Photo) -06/05/25

Wilsonville, OR – The Wilsonville Public Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon welcomed Oregon's First Lady for an inspiring community reading event celebrating early childhood literacy on May 30, 2025. Families gathered for an engaging afternoon of storytelling as the First Lady shared "The Rabbit Listened", written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld, with enthusiastic young listeners.

 

"Every child deserves access to quality books and the joy of shared reading experiences," stated Oregon's First Lady. "It's wonderful to join the Wilsonville community in celebrating the incredible impact of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. This program exemplifies how we can work together to ensure every Oregon child has the foundation they need to succeed. Supporting early literacy initiatives like this is an investment in the bright future of our entire state."

 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book-gifting program that delivers carefully selected, age-appropriate books to enrolled children from birth to age five. The program now reaches families in every Oregon county and zip code. The Wilsonville Public Library has been a dedicated advocate for connecting local families with this transformative literacy resource since 2011. The afternoon  event included an interactive story session led by the First Lady, crafts and snacks, along with opportunities for families to learn about enrolling their children in the complimentary book program.

 

"Hosting the First Lady for this literacy celebration was truly special for our library community," Shasta Sasser, Wilsonville Public Library Director said. "Our collaboration with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library represents everything we believe in—making quality literature accessible to all children and supporting families in creating meaningful reading traditions. We've witnessed firsthand how this program strengthens the foundation for lifelong learning in our community."

 

"Community events like this demonstrate the positive  impacts that result when libraries and literacy organizations join forces," noted Kaylee Chrystal, Community Engagement Coordinator for Imagination Library of Oregon. "The Imagination Library delivers more than just books —it builds precious connections between children and their families around the magic of storytelling. We're deeply appreciative of the First Lady's participation and the Wilsonville Public Library's commitment to ensuring every local child has access to this incredible resource."

 

The program currently serves more than 67,000 Oregon children—representing approximately 31% of the state's children under five years old—who receive monthly book deliveries through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Families pay nothing for participation, with program expenses supported through collaborative funding from local community partners, The Dollywood Foundation, and the State of Oregon via the Department of Early Learning and Care.

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About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 270 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Community Partners.  The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families.  Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More(™).

 

The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.

First Lady Of Oregon Joins Dolly Parton's Imagination Library For Storytime At Jackson County Public Library (Photo) -05/29/25

Medford, OR – Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon in conjunction with the United Rotary Clubs of Southern Oregon and Jackson County Library Services hosted a special read-along event featuring the First Lady of Oregon at the Jackson County Public Library in Medford. On May 21st, families with young children attended a special morning of storytelling and celebration of early literacy. The First Lady read “The Rabbit Listened,” written and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld.

 

"Reading aloud to children is one of the most powerful ways to nurture a love of books and build essential literacy skills," says Oregon's First Lady. "I'm thrilled to participate in this special event at Jackson County Public Library and support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which is making such a meaningful difference for Oregon's children and families. When we invest in early literacy, we're investing in our state's future."

 

The program provides free, high-quality books mailed directly to children from birth until their fifth birthday and is now available to children in every county and zip code across Oregon. The United Rotary Clubs of Southern Oregon, in partnership with the Jackson County Library Services, have been instrumental in bringing the Imagination Library to local families. The event featured interactive storytelling led by the First Lady, followed by information for families on how to register their children for the book gifting program.

 

"We were honored to welcome the First Lady to our library for this special read-along event," says Kari May, Jackson County Library Services Library Director. "The partnership between our library and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library perfectly aligns with our goal to inspire curiosity and nurture learning at every age. This program has already touched the lives of so many children in our community, and we're excited to help more families discover this wonderful resource."

 

"Events like this highlight the power of community partnerships in promoting early literacy," says Kaylee Chrystal, Community Engagement Coordinator, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon. "The Imagination Library is about more than just delivering books—it's about creating joyful moments between children and their caregivers that inspire a lifelong love of reading. We're grateful to the First Lady for her support and to the Jackson County Public Library and United Rotary Clubs of Southern Oregon for their dedication to reaching every child in their community."

 

Currently, over 66,000 Oregon children—approximately 30% of all children under age five in the state—receive books through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library each month. The program is completely free for families, with costs covered through a partnership between local program partners, The Dollywood Foundation, and the State of Oregon through the Department of Early Learning and Care.

 

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About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 270 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Community Partners.  The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families.  Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More(™).

 

The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.