Mason urges parents to sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, is encouraging all Illinois parents of children ages 0-5 to sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5, regardless of the family’s income.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to kick-start a child’s love for reading,” Mason said in a news release. “We know that having access to books at home can influence a variety of life outcomes, including reading proficiency and income level in adulthood.”

The statewide launch of Illinois’ partnership with the Dollywood Foundation was announced Dec. 12. The state will provide $1.6 million to the project in order to support early childhood learning and encourage lifelong reading habits, Gov. JB Pritzker said at the launch at the Bloomington Public Library.

As chair of the Childcare Accessibility and Early Childhood Education Committee, Mason is a champion of literacy access for young children and regularly hosts “Read with your Rep” programs at local libraries and day care centers.

“I encourage all parents to sign up for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which is a wonderful way to influence reading in kids,” Mason said. “Reading with our children from birth on is fun and can make a huge difference in language and social skills development.”

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is active in areas across 40 counties in Illinois and is expected to soon cover the entire state. To check to see if a program is available in your area, visit the “find my program” page on www.imaginationlibrary.com. You can enroll your child or sign up to be notified when a program comes to your community.