Arkansas Imagination Library (ARIL) is expanding early literacy, parent engagement, and Pre-K literacy support in Jefferson and Phillips Counties through a new two-year initiative supported by the Walton Family Foundation.
The initiative will focus on increasing access to high-quality books, strengthening parent-child reading routines, and supporting preschool educators through literacy-focused professional development. By May 2028, the initiative aims to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library enrollment to approximately 80% of eligible children ages 0–5 in both counties.
Through the initiative, Arkansas Imagination Library will:
- Increase access to high-quality books for children ages 0–5 through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- Deliver more than 73,000 books directly to children’s homes during the grant period
- Provide parent engagement programming focused on literacy-rich conversations and “serve and return” parent-child interaction
- Support Pre-K educators with professional learning using Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books as high-quality instructional materials
- Strengthen alignment between literacy activities in the classroom and literacy activities in the home
The initiative addresses ongoing literacy challenges in Jefferson and Phillips Counties, where many students enter kindergarten unprepared and a majority of third graders currently perform below grade-level reading proficiency on state assessments.
“Strong early literacy foundations change the trajectory of a child’s education and future opportunities,” said Dr. Charlotte Parham, Executive Director of Arkansas Imagination Library. “This initiative will help us strengthen home literacy environments, support parents and teachers as literacy leaders, and expand access to books and literacy support for hundreds of additional children in Jefferson and Phillips Counties. We are deeply grateful to the Walton Family Foundation for helping make this work possible.”
The initiative supports both children and caregivers by combining direct book access with parent engagement and educator support.
“My daughter loves reading each evening, and her Dolly Parton books are such an important part of our home library,” shared a Jefferson County mother participating in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. “We love seeing the various types of stories, characters, and authors. It’s so much fun to make animal sounds or point out favorite colors while reading together.”
“Children build important learning habits long before they enter a classroom,” said Tina Fletcher, senior program officer for the Walton Family Foundation’s Home Region Program. “This partnership helps more children in the Delta develop a love of reading early and gives families additional support as they prepare children for school.”
Arkansas Imagination Library currently serves more than 82,000 children each month across all 75 Arkansas counties through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Thanks to a statewide cost-sharing partnership with the Arkansas Department of Education, every local investment in Arkansas Imagination Library helps expand access to books and literacy support for young children across Arkansas.