In an effort to expand access to books and support early childhood literacy, children across Roanoke City and Roanoke County can now participate in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
This initiative, spearheaded by the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley in partnership with Roanoke City Public Schools (RCPS) on behalf of the Imagination Library of Roanoke City and Vinton Baptist Church on behalf of the Imagination Library of Roanoke County, is launching an ambitious campaign, One Thousand Bright Futures, with the goal of enrolling 1,000 local children in the program over the next three years.
The program provides every registered child from birth up to their fifth birthday with one new, age-appropriate book each month, delivered directly to their home and personally addressed to them at no cost to the family. The program also includes bilingual title options through its collection. Children enrolled from birth can build a personal library of up to 60 books by the timethey enter kindergarten.
“An investment in our children is an investment in the future of the Roanoke Valley,” said Shannon Shaffer, President of the Junior League of the Roanoke Valley (JLRV). “For nearly 100 years, the JLRV has invested in initiatives that strengthen our community and create opportunities for future generations. Through One Thousand Bright Futures, we are proud to help place books into the hands of local children and support a foundation for learning.”
A community kickoff event celebrating the launch of One Thousand Bright Futures is planned for 3 to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at the RCPS Community Empowerment Center (40 Douglass Ave. NW). Roanoke Valley families and community partners are invited to stop by to register for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, tour the Community Empowerment Center, enjoy refreshments and a sweet treat courtesy of Scoop, the Freedom First ice cream truck, and take home a free set of books.
“Early literacy is the foundation upon which all other learning is built, and access to books from a young age is critical to inspiring a lifelong love of reading,” said RCPS Superintendent Dr. Verletta White. “We are grateful to the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, in partnership with the Roanoke Public Library Foundation and E3: Elevate Early Education, for their generational investment to make this possible for every child in Roanoke City. This is legacy work that will benefit our community for decades to come.”
Through community outreach events, partnerships, and direct engagement with local families, One Thousand Bright Futures organizers hope to expand awareness of the program and secure additional support to reach even more children across the Roanoke Valley. Nearly 11,000 children under the age of five live in Roanoke City and Roanoke County. “Access to books in a child’s early years can help build critical literacy skills and language development that sets children up for success,” said Heather Balsley, Lead Librarian at Roanoke County Public Schools. “It is thrilling to bring this program to our community and partner with the JLRV, Vinton Baptist Church, and others to expand opportunity and support families in the region.”
Additional community support is being provided by the Roanoke Public Library Foundation for the Imagination Library of Roanoke City and by the Vinton Moose Lodge for the Imagination Library of Roanoke County. Additional funding for both Imagination Libraries is provided by E3: Elevate Early Education, who will provide a matching grant through their Book Access Gap Fund in partnership with Amazon.
To sign up your child, visit https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/.
For additional program details in your area or to donate, contact Claire Mitzel, CMitzel@rcps.info, for Imagination Library of Roanoke City or Heather Balsley, imaginationlibraryroco@gmail.com for Imagination Library of Roanoke County.
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Junior League of Roanoke Valley
Established in 1926, the Junior League of Roanoke Valley is an organization committed to promoting women, developing leaders, and investing in our community. Our legacy of leadership is built on our ability to train women leaders to tackle tough issues impacting our community. As a thriving organization with over 350 members, the JLRV provides a strong foundation for civic leadership and also connects women who share a commitment to voluntarism and community service.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program. As the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
The program is made possible through a unique partnership model in which funding is shared between Dolly, her Foundation and hundreds of Local Community Partners. Today, the Imagination Library mails over 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month directly to children’s homes. Every enrolled child receives one book per month from birth to age five - at no cost to their families.
Inspired by her own father’s struggles with literacy, Dolly created the Imagination Library to spark a lifelong love of reading and to inspire all children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More.
The program’s effectiveness has been extensively studied, with research consistently demonstrating positive impacts on early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, and family reading habits.
For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com.
