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Dolly Parton Imagination Library

We pay tribute to Dolly Parton and her lasting legacy of literacy and opportunity

We at Spectrum Community Health CIC are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Dolly Parton, a global icon whose generosity, compassion and commitment to improving lives have left an enduring legacy. Dolly Parton died on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer.

While millions knew Dolly for her extraordinary music career, she was equally admired for her dedication to helping others. Through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, she inspired a love of reading in children around the world by providing free, high-quality books to families and helping to break down barriers to literacy and learning.

Spectrum has been proud to support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across West Yorkshire, helping local children access books from birth to age five. The programme reflects our commitment to improving health and wellbeing outcomes, giving children the best possible start in life and supporting families within our communities.

Dolly understood that something as simple as a book can open doors, spark imagination and create opportunities that last a lifetime. That belief continues to resonate through the Imagination Library and through the children and families who benefit from it every day.

As an organisation, we are grateful for the opportunity to be part of a programme that carries forward Dolly’s vision. Her extraordinary contribution to education, literacy and community wellbeing will continue to make a difference for generations to come.

Our thoughts are with Dolly’s family, friends and loved ones, and with the countless people around the world whose lives she touched.

Dolly’s legacy lives on in every child who discovers the joy of reading through the Imagination Library.

Dolly Parton and her lasting legacy of literacy and opportunity

Register your child to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and get a FREE BOOK every month until their 5th birthday!

Registration is open to babies from birth (until their 2nd birthday) living in Knottingley, Pontefract, Castleford Central, Ferry Fryston and Airedale.

What is the Imagination Library?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting programme, devoted to inspiring a love of reading in the hearts of children everywhere. The books are gifted through funding shared by Dolly and local community partners.

In the Wakefield district, this scheme is delivered in partnership between Spectrum Community Health CIC, Wakefield Council, and The Dollywood Foundation. We are proud to support this fantastic initiative.

The scheme began in 1995 in Dolly’s home county in Tennessee, then launched in the UK by Dolly during her visit in 2007.

All books in the Imagination Library are high quality and age appropriate. They are carefully selected by a panel of experts in early childhood literacy and reading.

Books are sent free in the post every month, personally addressed to your child, until their 5th birthday.

Visit the Wakefield Council Dolly Parton Imagination Library website to find out more information about the scheme.

Check if your child is eligible

To check if your child is eligible for the scheme, you can use the postcode checker.

Postcode checker

If you live outside the listed areas and would still like to enjoy the reading scheme with your child, all titles from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library are available to borrow from your local library, free of charge.

Sign up here

How do I register my child?

You can sign up for the Imagination Library by:

Please note that if you would like to sign up more than one child to the Imagination Library, you will need to make separate applications for each child.

Register your child here

Your feedback

In order to understand how well the Dolly Parton Imagination Library scheme is working and to measure the impact on participants, we ask for feedback at various stages throughout the scheme. This can be completed either via online surveys, emails, post or telephone. You do not have to participate in evaluation or surveys if you prefer not to. You can unsubscribe from receiving these communications at any point using the link provided in any correspondence.

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