After Dolly Parton's death, three states weigh paying more for her Imagination Library
Tennessee's legislative leaders want the state to cover the half of book and postage costs that local partners now raise. A New Jersey bill would start a $2 million state program, and a Pennsylvania bill that passed the House in December waits in the Senate.
Nashville. Since Dolly Parton died on Aug. 25 at 80, Tennessee's legislative leaders have pledged to pay the share of her Imagination Library that local communities now raise, a New Jersey bill would start a state program, and Pennsylvania advocates are pressing the state Senate on a bill it has held since December.
The program, run by The Dollywood Foundation in Sevierville, Tenn., mails a free book each month to enrolled children from birth to age 5. The foundation arranges wholesale book purchases and pays the administrative costs; local program partners enroll the children and must find the money for the books and postage, according to the program's website.
Tennessee would pay the local half
In Tennessee, the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation pays half of book and mailing costs with state money, and local partners in all 95 counties raise the rest, the foundation said on Aug. 31. About 270,000 children there are enrolled.
On Sept. 1, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a Republican from Crossville, and Sen. Bo Watson, a Republican from Hixson who chairs the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee, pledged to have the state pick up the local cost in its 2027 budget. Lawmakers must approve it in the session that begins in January, and it would take another $5.1 million, Mr. Watson told the Chattanooga Times Free Press. He said many small and rural counties struggle to raise their share.
“We would hope that local governments or local organizations, nonprofits that have been raising money in the literacy space for the Imagination Library, will continue to raise money in the literacy space and use that to help advance Tennessee's commitment to improving early childhood reading.”
Bills in New Jersey and Pennsylvania
In New Jersey, Assembly Bill 5518, introduced Sept. 17 by Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr., a Democrat from the 5th District in Camden and Gloucester counties, would create a state Imagination Library program in the Department of Education, mailing a book each month to enrolled children under 5, and put $2 million into a new fund for it. The department could require its partner, such as the Imagination Library, to match at least half the cost. The bill is in the Assembly Education Committee.
In Pennsylvania, House Bill 1663, by Rep. Liz Hanbidge, a Democrat from Montgomery County, would have the state match, dollar for dollar, what local partners put up, when money is available. The House passed it 116 to 87 on Dec. 17, 2025; it has sat in the Senate Education Committee since Dec. 22.
About 75,000 Pennsylvania children get the books now, and nearly 700,000 under 5 could, Timberly Pierce, North American director of The Dollywood Foundation, told WESA, Pittsburgh's public radio station.
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