Volunteers ask Clay County for help to sustain Dolly Parton Imagination Library distribution

Volunteers and education partners asked the county commission on May 14 to consider supporting the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, an early-literacy program that mails age-appropriate books monthly to children from birth until kindergarten.

School board member Beth Clark described the program’s reach and requested help to avoid pausing mailings. "Dolly Parton basically started [the program] in '95... Up to the age of 5, children get a book a month," Clark said, and noted a monthly per-child program cost of about $2.20 (presenters explained the program pays for each monthly book and postage at about $26 per year per child when scaled).

Ruth Payne, a volunteer with Beta Mu chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma and a Clay Education Foundation affiliate, told commissioners that volunteers have mailed more than 25,000 books in the county since 2022 and rely on local fundraising to cover costs. Payne asked the board to consider support so the program will not need to pause enrollment or shipments in June.

Commissioners offered to gather information on possible funding options and directed staff to provide contact points for grant or partnership opportunities. No formal funding request or board commitment was made during the meeting.