Imagination Library of Will County Celebrates Launch

Will County parents can now register children under five for Dolly Parton’s free book-gifting program after county-wide fundraising campaign

Local officials and community leaders joined representatives from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the State of Illinois to officially launch the Imagination Library of Will County at a kick-off event today. Parents in Will County can now register to have free, high-quality, and age-appropriate books mailed directly to their children from birth until their fifth birthday.

“I’m incredibly proud to announce that every child in Will County under the age of five now has access to this free, book-gifting program,” said Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant. “Early childhood literacy is critical for long-term success and this program helps children get excited about learning. Imagination Library is an opportunity for us to connect more children with the gift of reading and to build a countywide network dedicated to promoting the power of literacy.”

The announcement was made at a launch event at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA in Plainfield hosted by Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant and the Will County Center for Economic Development (CED), who partnered in December 2024 to bring the book-gifting program to Will County. The event recognized local program partners and donors who have committed to championing the literacy program. This included Amazon, who announced their support for the program at the event with a $30,000 check presentation.

“Thank you to all the partners who made this program possible,” said Doug Pryor, Will County CED President & CEO. “Your support for early childhood education will be a powerful driver of long-term positive economic and workforce outcomes for Will County. When we support early literacy, we’re not just helping children today, we are creating an educational foundation that will fuel Will County’s success for years to come.” 

The Imagination Library Program is supported by the Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Dolly Parton in 1988. Since launching in 1995, the Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. Recently celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, the program has gifted over 250 million free books in the United Staes, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland.

The effort to bring Imagination Library to Will County was initiated shortly after Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education announced a statewide expansion of the program. The state program matches every dollar raised locally, improving the ability of county-wide programs to raise funds and register children. With the state match, every $16 dollar raised locally sponsors one child to receive a full year of free books tailored to their age.

“The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is a wonderful opportunity for our young children to have physical and tangible access to books in print,” said Joyce Gronewold, Executive Director of Special Instruction. “To pick up a book, to turn a page. This opportunity and access is the start of early literacy. We see the Dolly Parton Imagination Library as an incredible complement to our work in schools, and an awesome avenue for families and communities to support literacy at home.”

The launch event included several members of Will County’s state legislative delegation to highlight the inclusion of the program in the state budget, including State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel, State Senator Rachel Ventura, State Representative Dagmara Avelar, and State Representative Nicole La Ha. Due to the state match, Imagination Library is available to children in 77 counties in Illinois and more than 73,000 children in Illinois are currently receiving monthly books mailed directly to their home. The program is a key component of the state’s early childhood education goals, as research has demonstrated that children participating in the Imagination Library demonstrate a 29% increase in kindergarten readiness.

“We are pleased to bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Will County,” said Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Illinois State Director Andi Drileck. “More than 38,000 children from birth to their fifth birthday now have the opportunity to receive a free book each month, helping families build home libraries and encourage early reading. We know that children who participate in this program show stronger early literacy skills and are better prepared for kindergarten. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this program will have as children and parents spend time reading together and preparing for future success.”

Throughout 2025, several local public entities, non-profits, businesses, and community leaders have signed on to support the Imagination Library of Will County. This has included several local libraries and school districts committed to creating long-term pipelines to connect families with literacy resources after they pass their fifth birthday.
The Imagination Library of Will County launch was also made possible by several major local donors who have ensured the program launch, including the Rotary Club of Joliet ($50,000), Jackson Generation ($25,000), Earthrise ($15,000), and the Caesars Foundation ($10,000). Additionally, Amazon presented a $30,000 donation at the launch event to support the program. 

“Through our investment in global literacy programs, technology access, and strategic partnerships — including our collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Will County — Amazon is providing children with the tools they need to become lifelong readers,” said Sarah Glavin, Head of Community Affairs at Amazon. “We’re proud to be partnering with local leaders to expand educational opportunities and help shape a brighter future for communities across the region.”

Parents can learn more and register for the program by visiting http://WillCountyImaginationLibrary.org. Individual sponsorships can also be made online to support the program including $16 to sponsor one year of books for one child, $80 to sponsor five children, or $160 to sponsor ten children.