Dolly Parton's Reading Library Becomes Law in WA State to Much Delight

In March 2022, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee signed into law HB 2068.  This law became effective on June 9, 2022, making international country music and entertainment icon Dolly Parton's library program a interim permanent part of Washington state history!

If you weren't already aware, country music legend Dolly Parton created a reading library of books made available to primary school children for many years. She began the Imagination Library program that provided gifts of numerous books to kids for free since 1995. Her gifts have made an impact in Yakima County for several years through the generous efforts of board members and staff of the Yakima YWCA and all over Washington state.

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This week,  Dolly Parton's Imagination Library became an interim permanent part of local Washington state history. Each month for the past several years, the Imagination Library has gifted free books to local and regional families to encourage children ages birth through five years old to develop an affection for reading. Some 26,000 kids have been having delight in these free books across the state of Washington. Now the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has teamed up with the United Ways of the Pacific Northwest (UWPNW) to increase the Imagination Library not only county-wide but state wide.

HOW THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY PROGRAM WORKS IN WASHINGTON STATE

Participating nonprofits in Washington state can apply to receive free books from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and they will be reimbursed every month for half of their cost for the books!

For more info on Dolly Parton's Imagination Library organization, click here.

 

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