The City of Sault Ste. Marie launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, a global initiative designed to foster a love of reading among young children. The program offers free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, aiming to ignite a lifelong passion for reading and learning.
"We are excited to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to Sault Ste. Marie," said Mayor Shoemaker. "This program will have a tremendous impact on our children’s early literacy skills and foster a love of reading that lasts a lifetime."
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, created in honor of her father by the legendary music artist, mails a free book to registered children each month until their fifth birthday. The program promotes early literacy and strengthens family bonds as parents and caregivers share the joy of reading with children.
To be eligible for the program, children must meet the following criteria:
• Be between the ages of birth and five years old.
• Live in the City of Sault Ste. Marie.
• Be registered by a responsible adult, such as a parent or guardian.
Families in Sault Ste. Marie can enroll their children to receive free books by visiting the official registration page.
The success of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in the community relies on the support of local donors. The cost per child is $46 per year and with 3,040 children eligible in Sault Ste. Marie, spots are limited based on the amount of funding received. In its pilot year, it is hoped that additional sponsors or individuals will support the growth of the program so that every child in Sault Ste. Marie has the opportunity to develop a love of reading. To donate visit the
Canada Helps donation page.
This initiative is supported by the City of Sault Ste. Marie, the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie, Kiwanis Club of Sault Ste. Marie, the Zonta Club of Sault Ste. Marie and Avery Construction Ltd. For more information, visit
imaginationlibrary.com.
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About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
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 240 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 Community Partners. The Imagination Library mails over 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Each child enrolled in the program receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to families. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More™. Penguin Random House Canada is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across Canada. The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. For more information, please visit
imaginationlibrary.com.