Laurens County First Steps launches “9 to 5” campaign for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
August 31, 2026
Dolly Parton spent seven decades as one of the most recognizable voices in American music. In the days since her death on Aug. 25 at the age of 80, many people are learning that the work she cared most about had nothing to do with a stage.
Parton launched Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995 in honor of her father, who could not read or write. Her idea was simple: mail a free book every month to every child who wanted one, from birth through age 5, regardless of what a family earned. Thirty years later, more than 300 million books have gone out across five countries, and the tributes pouring in from parents and teachers have made clear that a generation of children knew her first as the woman whose name was on the book in the mailbox.
That work continues in Laurens County, and local families have responded. Laurens County First Steps recorded 106 pending registrations for new children in the days following her death.
Now the organization is asking the community to help keep the books coming. Laurens County First Steps has launched a fundraising campaign called “9 to 5 for Early Childhood Literacy,” building toward Dolly Parton Day on Sept. 25. The name borrows from one of her best-known songs, with a local twist: working 9 to 5 to put books in the hands of Laurens County’s youngest children.
What the program has done here
“Every one of those books arrives at a child’s home with that child’s name on it, and that matters,” said Toni Able, executive director of Laurens County First Steps. “When a book shows up every month, reading becomes part of the family routine and helps prepare children to enter kindergarten ready to learn.”
Why the campaign is needed
The books are free to families, but not to deliver.
“Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is free for families with children from birth through age 5, but each mailed book costs Laurens County First Steps about $1.18,” Able said. “We are fortunate that the South Carolina governor and General Assembly have allocated state funding to cover half the cost for local Imagination Library affiliates.”
The “9 to 5” campaign asks the community to cover the local share. Organizers are encouraging supporters to give $5, give $9, sponsor a child or challenge a friend to do the same. Individuals, businesses, churches, civic organizations and community partners can participate by donating at this link. Gifts made through that link stay with Laurens County children.
How to sign a child up
“There are still eligible children in Laurens County who aren’t enrolled simply because their families may not know about the program,” Able said. “Enrollment is free and takes only a few minutes. Grandparents and caregivers can help families sign their children up. Every enrollment puts another child on the path to building a home library of their very own.”
Parents, grandparents and other caregivers can enroll a child at imaginationlibrary.com by selecting “check availability” and entering the child’s ZIP code. Families who would like help with the process can contact Laurens County First Steps at 864-984-8130, email [email protected] or stop by the office at 1029 West Main St. in Laurens, open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
How the program works
Every enrolled child receives “The Little Engine That Could” as a first book, followed by one age-appropriate title each month until the child turns 5. Titles are selected by a panel of early childhood literacy experts. Nationally, the program now mails more than 3 million books a month, and leaders have confirmed the deliveries will continue.
What the research shows
New international research released earlier this year is giving communities a clearer picture of what those monthly deliveries accomplish. The study, led by Dr. Claire Galea of United Way Australia in partnership with Macquarie University and the Dollywood Foundation, surveyed more than 86,000 caregivers across the five countries where the program operates and followed families for 12 months. It is the largest dataset ever collected on shared book reading.
The findings held across every country studied. After receiving just 10 books, children in the program were at least four times more likely to show stronger emerging literacy skills such as vocabulary and phonological awareness than children who were not enrolled. Enrolled children were nine times more likely to be read to four or more days a week, nine times more likely to show interest in books and 15 times more likely to participate actively while being read to. The largest gains appeared among families facing the greatest barriers, which suggests the program helps close literacy gaps before they open.
In the United States, children in the program were 11 times more likely to be interested in books and nine times more likely to ask an adult to read with them.
Parton often said her hope was that children would dream more, learn more, care more and be more. In Laurens County, that hope still shows up in the mail once a month.
