Wyoming lawmakers are considering expanding the reach of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program that sends free, age-appropriate books to children across the state, Wyoming News Now reports.
Currently, about 7,000 children in Wyoming receive a book each month through the program, but participation is limited to certain counties. A new proposal, Senate File 14 (SF 14), seeks to expand the program statewide, giving more children the opportunity to receive free books.
The Senate Education Committee voted 4-1 in favor of SF 14, which proposes to allocate $320,000 from the state’s general fund for a matching program. The program would cover half of the cost of distributing books, with counties responsible for covering the other half. This funding would support the first year of the statewide initiative, with future funding required for subsequent years.
As it stands, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is only available to children in select counties, leaving 22% of Wyoming’s eligible children up to age 5 enrolled in the program. Under SF 14, all qualifying children could receive books, a move that aims to improve early literacy and foster a love of reading before children enter school.
“This is a way to ensure that kids across the state of Wyoming, from birth through 5, have a great start on reading,” said Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, in support of the expansion. “That way, they can develop a love of reading before they even enter the school system.”
Currently, counties such as Teton County partner with local nonprofits, such as Teton Literacy, to distribute the books. However, SF 14 would require counties to work with a statewide nonprofit that would handle the administration of the program.
Samuel Roberts Wolfe, director of operations for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, explained that expanding the program would allow more children to participate, particularly in areas currently not served by the program. Research suggests that early literacy initiatives have a positive impact on child development, with brain development occurring rapidly in the early years of life.
The Imagination Library program, which is available in 21 other states under a similar model, would provide the books and manage the logistics of distribution, including purchasing and mailing. The infrastructure for the program is already in place, with Dolly Parton’s organization managing the central database and administrative costs.
However, the proposal has faced some opposition. Cheyenne resident Patricia McCoy, representing Moms for Liberty of Laramie County, voiced concerns about the use of state funds for the program. While McCoy expressed support for the program’s goal of promoting literacy, she questioned the appropriateness of state involvement, suggesting that the program should be privately funded. She also raised concerns over the content of some of the books, stating that some titles were not suitable for her children.
Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, was the lone dissenting vote on the committee, citing concerns over the use of state funds for the initiative.
“I do think this is a program that is good and beneficial, but I am just not sure it is the place for state funding,” Brennan said.
The proposal now moves forward for further consideration by the full legislature. If passed, SF 14 could pave the way for a statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, providing free books to thousands more children across Wyoming and enhancing early childhood literacy statewide.
