DENVER ~ Denver, CO - Governor Jared Polis, along with Llama Llama and Dr. Lisa Roy from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), gathered at Westwood Early Learning Center today to celebrate a major milestone for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The program, which was launched by Dolly Parton in 1995 and expanded to Colorado in 2020, has now delivered its 2 millionth book to children across the state.

During the event, Governor Polis expressed his excitement about the success of the Imagination Library initiative. "Books are our windows into the world, and access to literature for children is a great way to improve reading and inspire the next generation of poets, authors, and literary geniuses," he said.

Dr. Lisa Roy, executive director of CDEC, also emphasized the importance of early literacy for a child's cognitive development. "By fostering a love of reading early on, we set children up for lifelong success," she said. "This milestone marks a gateway to endless possibilities."

The program was established statewide in July 2020 when Governor Polis signed SB20-185. This expansion has allowed for support in all Colorado ZIP codes through 30 programs covering portions of all 64 counties.

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Jack Tate, President and CEO of Imagination Library of Colorado, recognized the efforts of over 55 community-based organizations across the state who have collaborated to ensure every young child has access to books. "Championing early literacy is truly a statewide effort," he said.

In 2024, Governor Polis signed HB24-1205 which transferred program operations to CDEC and enabled partnerships with eligible nonprofits to procure more books and expand the program's reach.

As of March 2025, 27 percent of eligible children statewide are receiving Imagination Library books each month. This equates to over 84,000 books mailed in March alone, with 13,537 containing Spanish/English content. Since the program began in Colorado in November 2021, over 2 million books have been mailed to children across the state.

The impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. One participating parent shared their experience, saying "This is an amazing and incredibly generous program. Not only have these books helped my child's speech and literacy development, they have brought us all closer together as a family."

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During the event, attendees also took a moment to honor Dolly Parton and her family, remembering her husband Carl Dean who passed away on Monday.

Governor Polis, CDEC, and Imagination Library Colorado are encouraging all families with children ages 5 or younger to participate in the program. To learn more or sign up, visit imaginationlibrarycolorado.org.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world since its launch in 1995. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age five.

The Imagination Library of Colorado is a statewide partner of The Dollywood Foundation and its flagship program. Funding for the organization and program books comes from CDEC matched by private sources. Their mission is to increase literacy by ensuring all young children across the state may participate in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library through development, promotion, growth, and ongoing support of programs in all 64 counties.

In conclusion, Governor Polis and his team celebrated a major achievement for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at Westwood Early Learning Center today. With over 2 million books delivered to children across Colorado, the program continues to make a positive impact on early childhood literacy.

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