Children in Wagoner County have a new reason to get excited about reading with the expansion of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library into the area. This early literacy initiative offers free books monthly to children from birth to five years of age. In a partnership that brings together the Oklahoma State Department of Education and Broken Arrow Neighbors, the program's Neighbors Book Nook project is set to reach over 4,300 kids across eight local zip codes, according to the Oklahoma Senate.
The initiative has been a collective effort to quickly spread the love of reading and has already been partially implemented in six other counties. This recent expansion now adds Wagoner County to the list. Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Sen. John Haste, R-Broken Arrow, who played an instrumental role in bringing the program to Oklahoma, commented on the county's inclusion. "Expanding the Imagination Library to Wagoner County is a major win for our community," he said in a statement obtained by the Oklahoma Senate. "This program opens up a world of opportunities for our youngest Oklahomans by encouraging early literacy and helping to make their future more prosperous. I’m proud to support a project that nurtures our children’s potential."
The Imagination Library, initiated by Dolly Parton in 1995, has long been dedicated to fostering a culture where children grow up with books, despite their family's income. The OSDE has estimated that approximately 83,000 children across the state are now served by the program, affirming its extensive reach in Oklahoma.
Such programs are essential, considering early literacy plays a crucial role in the educational and economic achievement of a community. With the new extension, little ones in Wagoner County will now be able to regularly receive books that have been carefully selected to entertain and educate, fueling their imagination and love for reading. Sen. Haste's commitment to the cause underscores a vision where no child is left behind in the journey to become literate and empowered. "This program opens up a world of opportunities for our youngest Oklahomans by encouraging early literacy and helping to make their future more prosperous," Haste further shared with the Oklahoma Senate, reflecting the program’s commitment to the long-term prospects of Oklahoma’s youth.
