With literacy efforts taking center stage at the Oklahoma State Capitol, legislators earmarked $840,000 in their Fiscal Year 2027 budget deal to expand Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program across the state.
Erin Bell became the director of early literacy for the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness on April 1 after serving as the program manager of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which operates in Oklahoma through a contract with the State Department of Education.
In the following Q&A, Bell discusses efforts to expand the program, adds insight to ongoing literacy discussions and gives a shoutout to the stylings of a classic fictional teacher. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar, style and length.
What is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and what role does it play in Oklahoma’s education system to support early literacy efforts?
Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 to inspire a love of reading and learning in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. Today, it has grown into one of the most recognized and effective early childhood book-gifting programs in the world. Policymakers, funders, early childhood organizations and families trust the Imagination Library to help children build a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
The program mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to children from birth until their fifth birthday. Each book is addressed directly to the child, making it a meaningful and exciting experience when it arrives in the mailbox. The program is led by the Dollywood Foundation, which carefully selects every title — ensuring quality and consistency — covers overhead costs and secures wholesale pricing to keep the program affordable.
In Oklahoma, the Imagination Library operates through a strong public-private partnership. The state covers half the cost of the books, while local nonprofit partners fund the remaining half and lead implementation in their communities. The Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness works with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to coordinate these efforts statewide, supporting local partners, raising awareness and working to grow and sustain the program to reach more children.
Right now, nearly 98,000 Oklahoma children are enrolled (roughly 40 percent of children aged 0-5), which is something we are really proud of. At its core, this program is about getting books into homes and helping families build simple, meaningful routines around reading.
We know that 90 percent of brain development happens before age 5. And when you read to a child, it is rarely just reading: You are talking, laughing and answering questions. Those small, everyday moments are building language, relationships and a strong foundation for learning.
What drew you to your position, and how have you found it rewarding?
Other than being a mom, this is easily the most meaningful work I have ever done. I get to be a part of bringing books into the homes of children across Oklahoma, and that is something I do not take lightly. Dolly’s vision is that every child grows up surrounded by books, and getting to help make that happen, especially in the state I grew up in, is incredibly rewarding.
Books have always been a big part of my life. I have loved reading for as long as I can remember, and I cannot imagine not having access to books as a child. Some of my earliest memories involve being read to by my parents, grandparents and my aunts and uncles. When this opportunity came along, it felt like the right fit.
My background is in early childhood development, and with 25 years in education and 20 as a parent, I have been able to see this work from both a professional and personal perspective. As a teacher, I could almost immediately tell which children had been read to regularly. They usually came in with stronger vocabularies, better focus and more confidence in learning.
Now I get to work on the front end of that, helping more children walk into kindergarten ready to succeed. That is what makes this work so special to me.
How many households have been served by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library? How do parents sign up to receive books from the program?
The Legislature passed Senate Bill 1803, sponsored by Sen. John Haste (R-Broken Arrow) and Rep. Tammy Townley (R-Ardmore), in May 2020. Since then, the program has grown from 4,000 children to almost 98,000 today! Since the books are carefully selected for each age group, each household receives books for each child. Over 160,000 children have received books, and in 2025, the Imagination Library was responsible for over 1 million books being delivered to homes.
Signing up is simple. Families can enroll through the Imagination Library website, but a lot of enrollment growth is thanks to local partners who are out in their communities spreading the word and enrolling families. Libraries are a huge part of that, so families can usually enroll at their local library. We also see support from schools, electric cooperatives, banks, Rotary Clubs, United Way and other local organizations.
What can be done to expand the program’s reach?
We are really close to our statewide goal because almost every county in Oklahoma is now covered. States that have achieved statewide coverage have been rewarded with a visit from Dolly herself, and we are eager to make that happen!
Right now, we are looking for nonprofit partners in Osage, Noble, Pawnee and Logan counties. The exciting part is that, thanks to generous donors and ongoing support from state leaders, significant funding is already in place. We just need local partners who are willing to step in and lead the effort in those communities.
What I have seen repeatedly is that people want to help. Whether it is churches, small businesses, civic groups, libraries or electric co-ops — once they hear about the program, they find a way to be a part of it. For example, we are working with leaders like Attorney General Gentner Drummond to expand to Osage County.
Our ultimate goal is to reach at least 65 percent of eligible children under the age of 5. That is where you start to see real, statewide impact and measurable improvements in kindergarten readiness. For anyone who wants to help, it can be as simple as spreading the word or donating to a local program partner. Just $15.60 provides a full year of books for a child, which is pretty remarkable when you think about the long-term impact that can have.
Some households lack time and literacy skills or face other barriers that could prevent parents from reading to their children. How can people navigate such scenarios to expose children to reading early in life?
This is something we think about a lot. We know not every family has the same time, resources or confidence when it comes to reading.
One of the things I love most about this program is that it meets families where they are. The books start simple: board books, nursery rhymes, everyday objects. Even if a parent or caregiver is not comfortable reading every word, just talking about the pictures, pointing things out, or telling the story in their own way is incredibly valuable. The books also include notes for the caregivers, giving them simple ways to use the books to further develop early literacy and other school readiness skills. The Imagination Library is also a way for families to connect to the local library to learn more about all the literacy services our state’s library systems provide.
Kids learn so much just from hearing a caregiver’s voice and having that one-on-one interaction. Even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference, but it does not have to be perfect or structured. It can happen in small moments like before bed, in the car, or while waiting for an appointment. As a mom, I always had books within reach because I knew those little pockets of time added up. And looking back, some of our best moments together came from something as simple as reading a book.
The #okleg is keenly focused on improving literacy across the state. What are your observations and what might be missing from those conversations?
I am really encouraged to see the focus on literacy, and I am especially grateful that early childhood is part of the conversation. I often talk about, “Yes, and.” There is no one solution here. Yes, we absolutely need strong K-12 literacy instruction, and we also need to pay attention to what is happening before children ever walk into a classroom. Right now, about 65 percent of Oklahoma children under age 3 are not read to regularly. That means many kids are starting school already behind, and it is hard to close that gap later. Families need all the resources and support we can provide.
The Imagination Library is just one resource, but it is an important one. It is a simple, low-barrier way to support families and help them feel confident in their role as their child’s first teacher.
If we want to see improvements in third-grade literacy, we need to start early (at birth) and support families along the way.
If you could be a character from any children’s book, who would it be and why?
I would have to go with Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus.
As a teacher, I always tried to make learning fun and engaging, but she takes it to a whole different level. There is something special about the way she sparks curiosity and excitement around learning, and that is something I have always tried to carry with me, both in the classroom and in the work I do now. Plus, her wardrobe is so eclectic. Imagine having an outfit perfectly themed for every lesson!
