FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ Library Awards Nearly $500K to Expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Programs Statewide
The 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ Library has awarded $499,149 in competitive grants to 20 organizations, supporting 25 local programs that bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to communities across 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ. These grants will cover up to 50% of program partner costs, making it easier for libraries, schools, and nonprofits to connect young children with the joy of reading. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a community-based literacy initiative that provides one free, high-quality, age-appropriate book every month to children from birth through age five, regardless of family income.ÌýÌý
91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ Librarian Lauren Moore said, “Early literacy is one of the strongest predictors of lifelong learning and success, and every child deserves the chance to grow up with a love of books and stories. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library shows the power of putting books directly into children’s hands, and these grants help to extend that gift to families statewide. This program builds on the incredible work happening in libraries across New York, ensuring every child grows up surrounded by the magic of books and the endless possibilities they inspire.â€Ìý
Grant awards for 2025 range from $2,500 to $49,000, reaching rural, suburban, and urban communities across the state. Recipients include:Ìý
Organization Name |
Program |
County |
Amount Awarded |
---|---|---|---|
Ardent Solutions, Inc. |
Allegany County Dolly Parton Imagination Library |
Allegany |
$20,000 |
Binghamton City School District |
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of the Binghamton City School District |
Broome |
$15,000 |
Cassadaga Valley Central School |
Cassadaga Valley Central School District |
Chautauqua |
$4,680 |
East Irondequoit Central School District |
East Irondequoit CSD |
Monroe |
$10,000 |
Macedon Public Library |
Literacy for Little Ones Across Wayne County, NY |
Wayne |
$5,000 |
Newstead Public Library |
Akron/Newstead Dolly Parton Imagination Library |
Erie |
$4,056 |
North Country Prenatal Perinatal Council, Inc. |
NCPPC DPIL Jefferson County |
Jefferson |
$20,000 |
North Country Prenatal Perinatal Council, Inc. |
NYLewis |
Jefferson |
$7,500 |
North Country Prenatal Perinatal Council, Inc. |
NCPPC's St. Lawrence County DPIL |
Jefferson |
$10,000 |
Orleans Public Library |
Orleans Public Library |
Jefferson |
$6,389 |
Poughkeepsie Public Library District |
Poughkeepsie Public Library District |
Dutchess |
$7,500 |
Read to Succeed Buffalo |
Read to Succeed Buffalo |
Erie |
$49,000 |
Rochester Education Foundation |
Rochester Imagination Library |
Monroe |
$49,000 |
Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library |
Sarah Hull Hallock Free Library DPIL |
Ulster |
$2,500 |
Sherrill-Kenwood Free Library |
VVS Imagination Library |
Oneida |
$5,500 |
United Way of Buffalo & Erie County |
United Way of Buffalo & Erie County DPIL |
Erie |
$24,000 |
United Way of Central New York |
Syracuse NY DPIL/ United Way of Central New York |
Onondaga |
$49,000 |
United Way of Greater Oswego County, Inc. |
Imagination Library of Oswego County |
Oswego |
$49,000 |
United Way of New York City |
Books from Birth - United Way of New York City |
New York |
$49,000 |
United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, Inc |
Amenia Reads |
Dutchess |
$2,500 |
United Way of the Dutchess-Orange Region, Inc |
Pine Bush Reads! |
Dutchess |
$2,500 |
United Way of the Southern Tier |
#3753 NY Schuyler |
Steuben |
$4,656 |
United Way of the Southern Tier |
#3526 NY Yates |
Steuben |
$4,368 |
United Way of the Southern Tier |
#2061 NY Steuben & Chemung |
Steuben |
$49,000 |
United Way of Westchester and Putnam, Inc. |
United2Read Collaboration |
Westchester |
$49,000 |
For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library or to see if there is a local program partner in your area, visit the website.
About the 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ LibraryÌý
°Õ³ó±ð , established in 1818, is the largest state library in the nation and one of the largest research libraries in North America. It oversees a vast network of more than 7,000 libraries statewide, serving a diverse audience that includes researchers, educators, patrons, lawmakers, state agencies, and the general public.Ìý
The Library preserves and maintains invaluable historical collections and works, and serves as a Regional Depository for federal publications. It administers the Federal Depository Library Program in partnership with 65 selective Federal depository libraries throughout 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ. Additionally, the State Library is the official repository of 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ government publications, ensuring their enduring preservation and accessibility for future generations.Ìý
The Library’s mission is advanced through several key divisions, including the , which houses a collection of over 20 million items, the , a free service for eligible New Yorkers unable to use standard print materials, and the , which identifies opportunities to improve and expand modern library services throughout the state.Ìý
A vital part of the , the 91°µÍøÆÆ½â°æ Library is located at 222 Madison Avenue in Albany, N.Y. and is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Its robust collections are accessible onsite and through an interlibrary loan program. Researchers worldwide can also explore government documents and historical materials through the .Ìý
For more information, please visitÌýthe website and .ÌýÌý
Media Contact
Reporters and education writers may contact the Office of Communications by email or phone at:
Press@nysed.gov
(518) 474-1201