Interest in the Imagination Library of Will County, which offers free, age-appropriate books mailed to children up to age 5, has surged in the last week after the passing of Dolly Parton, the national program’s founder, officials said.
More than 730 parents in Will County signed up for the program since Parton died Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Parton started the Imagination Library in 1995 to nurture a love of reading and learning among young children.
The Imagination Library of Will County, an initiative between the county executive’s office and the Will County Economic Development Foundation, launched in July 2025
More Top Picks Best Dog Drying Boxes
.Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant learned about the program at a conference in Nashville during her time as a state senator and brought the program to the county after the state’s partnership with the Dollywood Foundation.
Parton announced in December 2023 an expansion of her book gifting program in Illinois, and Gov. JB Pritzker allocated $1.6 million to the program in the fiscal year 2024 budget.
Bertino-Tarrant said in an email she jumped on the chance to get involved.
“My desire to do this was simple — I like to read. I loved reading to my children. I loved my time in the library with my kids,” Bertino-Tarrant said in a statement. “The benefits of reading to children at an early age are well-documented emotionally, socially and academically. I grabbed the chance to start something beneficial in our county, which can touch so many young families in our communities.”
In the past year, about 8,800 Will County children have received monthly books as part of the local Imagination Library.
About 1,100 children graduated, meaning they turned 5 years old and received both their final book and a letter from Parton.
There are about 7,720 Will County children actively enrolled in the program, and 736 new children have registered in the last week, which will add to the active roster, said Mike Theodore, a spokesman for the county executive’s office.
In a typical month, there are about 100 to 130 new children registering to receive books, he said.
Will County leads the state of Illinois in enrollments since it began its involvement with the Imagination Library, Theodore said.
A growing national interest in the program has caused high traffic and delays on the online registration system managed by the Dollywood Foundation, a county news release said.
Since Parton’s death, Will County has also received an increase in the number of inquiries on how residents and businesses can financially contribute to the Imagination Library, Theodore said.
Individual sponsorships can be made online at WillCountyImaginationLibrary.org. A $16 donation sponsors one year of books for one child; $80 sponsors five children and $160 sponsors 10 children.
Parents can also register their children to receive a free book each month on the website. Due to high traffic, the website is experiencing some technical delays.
The monthly books are chosen by a committee through the Dollywood Foundation with the goal of enhancing early childhood education. Research shows that children participating in the Imagination Library demonstrate a 29% increase in kindergarten readiness, the county’s website said.
In addition to individual sponsors, the program benefits from corporate and nonprofit donors. To kickstart Will County’s program, Jackson Generation made a $25,000 donation in May 2025 and committed another $25,000 this year. The Rotary Club of Joliet granted the Imagination Library $50,000 and Amazon donated $30,000 last year.
A fundraiser in honor of Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday held this January raised enough proceeds to sponsor 875 Will County children for one year, officials said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.