07/13/2026
Exciting News for Clinton, Jefferson, Marion and Washington County Families!
John Consolino, Regional Superintendent, is excited to announce that the Regional Office of Education #13 is now a Local Program Partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library! As a Local Program Partner, ROE 13 will support the participation of children ages birth to five in the communities of Clinton, Jefferson, Marion and Washington Counties. The program will provide FREE high-quality books with the goal of facilitating a love of reading and building strong literacy skills regardless of the family’s income.
Regional Superintendent Consolino stated, “Getting books into the hands of our youngest learners as early as possible is one of the most powerful things we can do for their future. By sparking a love for reading before a child even steps foot into a classroom, we aren't just building essential literacy skills, we are enriching their lives and opening doors to a lifetime of learning. We are thrilled to help bring this life-changing program to the families of Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington Counties. I would also like to thank Nat Shook and the United Way of South-Central Illinois for their collaborative efforts to make this endeavor possible. The South-Central United Way will fund Jefferson County and will also manage registrations for the four counties we serve.”
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 300 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 Program Partners like the Regional Office of Education #13. The Imagination Library mails more than 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, Be More™ .
The program has been widely researched, and results demonstrate the positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
For more information and to register for the service, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.
