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Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Indiana budget cuts to Imagination Library may limit program's reach
After the state legislature passed a biennial budget that slashed funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Indiana First Lady Maureen Braun announced Tuesday a fundraising initiative to fund the program. But Lake County library officials said a potential decrease in funding would result in pausing the program expansion that occurred under the previous state funding. Additionally, local officials raised concerns about the state finding new fundraising sources because local libraries already fundraise for 50% of the program costs. 'When you seek donations from private donors, you never know how long their funding source will last. It's more of a constant. You will always be constantly seeking for private donations in order to continue to run your program, and I think that's just more challenging to do,' Carol Daumer Gutjahr, the executive director of the Lake County Public Library. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails monthly age-appropriate books to enrolled children from birth to 5 years old. The families receive the books for free as The Dollywood Foundation pays for administrative costs and negotiates wholesale pricing and local community partners fundraise to cover the cost of mailing and the agreed-upon wholesale book price. Maureen Braun will work with philanthropic organizations and state leaders to secure funding to support 'the beloved book gifting program that promotes early childhood literacy,' according to a news release. 'Reading opens up a world of imagination for kids, and having books in the home benefits children in school and throughout their lives,' Maureen Braun said in the release. 'I'm proud to champion this effort to keep Dolly Parton's Imagination Library growing strong here in Indiana and to help Hoosier kids develop a lifelong love of reading.' Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of The Dollywood Foundation, said in a statement that he appreciates Governor Mike Braun's commitment to early childhood literacy and the first lady's championing of the Imagination Library, which brings books to over 125,000 Hoosier children across the state. 'We are encouraged by Governor and First Lady Braun's support to ensure its future in Indiana. We look forward to working with the Governor and First Lady, state leaders, and Local Program Partners to keep books in the hands of Indiana's youngest learners and strengthen this foundation for a lifetime of success,' Conyers said. In the biennial budget approved in 2023, the state legislature approved $2 million in fiscal year 2023-2024 for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and $4 million in fiscal year 2024-2025. In the biennial budget the legislature passed at the end of the 2025 session, the funding for the program was eliminated. In Indiana, the total Imagination Library cost per child per year is $31, said Julie Wendorf, the director of the Crown Point Library and Crown Point Rotary Club leader of the Imagination Library program. With state funding, local cost became $15.50 and the state paid the remaining $15.50, she said. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library began through the Crown Point Library in 2014, Wendorf said, and was fully funded by the Crown Point Rotary Club. Currently, the Crown Point program has 781 children, she said. In 2018, the Lake County Public Library began its Imagination Library program funded by the Lake County Public Library Foundation, which holds fundraising events throughout the year to fund the program, Gutjahr said. Currently, the Lake County Public Library Imagination Library program has 2,177 children and 2,366 children have graduated out, Gutjahr said. In total, 3,443 children in Lake County are currently enrolled in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Wendorf said. In addition to the Lake County Library and Crown Point Library programs, Whiting has 156 children in the program funded by the School House Children's Charity and 329 children are covered by the Lake County Legacy Foundation in areas outside the Lake County Public Library district, Wendorf said. When the state allocated funding for the program in 2023, Wendorf said many libraries across the state began participating in the program for the first time. For areas, like Crown Point and Lake County libraries, which already had an established Imagination Library program, Wendorf said the state funding allowed them to expand the program's reach. To receive the state funding, communities had to show they could cover 50% of the Imagination Library costs to receive the remaining 50% funding from the state, Wendorf said. In Lake County, Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lowell didn't establish Imagination Library programs until February because they didn't have the 50% local funding until recently, she said. At the end of 2024, Wendorf said she was able to reach an agreement with the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to secure 50% of funding for 5 years to provide the Imagination Library books to Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lowell. The program in those communities began taking registration in February, she said, with about 350 children already enrolled. If state funding ends, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation funds will be used in less than 5 years because those funds would then have to fully fund the program, Wendorf said. As the state begins to fundraise for the program, Wendorf said state officials may turn to the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to further fund the program. But the foundation already helps fund the local portion, she said. 'Many of the local partners were concerned that the fundraising that would be happening at the state level would in essence challenge their local funding,' Wendorf said. 'It came to a shock to many when it was excluded from the budget.' When the state allocated 50% of funding through the budget, Gutjahr said it helped the Lake County Public Library program expand because the state provided a steady stream of revenue. 'We knew that we could accept additional families because here we had this chunk of money that we were guaranteed to receive, and we knew that it was for additional growth,' Gutjahr said. If the state fundraising money doesn't match what the state has offered the last two years, Gutjahr said the Lake County Public Library would have to pause accepting new children into the program, which requires funding a child until he or she turns 5 years old. 'That's the sad part, is knowing that you might have to delay registering a child for Imagination Library if you're hesitant if the money is going to be there going forward,' Gutjahr said. 'Once you accept a child into the program, whether they enroll at birth or at age two or three, you are committed to paying for that child until their fifth birthday.' But, Gutjahr said the Lake County Public Library Foundation will ensure that Dolly Parton's Imagination Library remains available for children. In Porter County, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library began about a year and a half ago as a partnership between the Porter County Public Library System, the Westchester Public Library and the Porter County Community Foundation, said Porter County Public Library System Director Jesse Butz. Currently, 3,388 Porter County children are enrolled in the program, Butz said, and 808 children graduated out of the program. With the shift in state funding from the state budget to fundraising, Butz said it's unknown how that will impact local libraries. Given that the program is still funded in the current fiscal year, Butz and Wendorf said the program will be state funded for the next few months. 'It's going to be a transitionary period as that 50% match goes from the state funding to the private funding,' Butz said. 'I'm just excited that we're able to continue the program.' akukulka@
Chicago Tribune
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Indiana budget cuts to Imagination Library may limit program's reach
After the state legislature passed a biennial budget that slashed funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Indiana First Lady Maureen Braun announced Tuesday a fundraising initiative to fund the program. But Lake County library officials said a potential decrease in funding would result in pausing the program expansion that occurred under the previous state funding. Additionally, local officials raised concerns about the state finding new fundraising sources because local libraries already fundraise for 50% of the program costs. 'When you seek donations from private donors, you never know how long their funding source will last. It's more of a constant. You will always be constantly seeking for private donations in order to continue to run your program, and I think that's just more challenging to do,' Carol Daumer Gutjahr, the executive director of the Lake County Public Library. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails monthly age-appropriate books to enrolled children from birth to 5 years old. The families receive the books for free as The Dollywood Foundation pays for administrative costs and negotiates wholesale pricing and local community partners fundraise to cover the cost of mailing and the agreed-upon wholesale book price. Maureen Braun will work with philanthropic organizations and state leaders to secure funding to support 'the beloved book gifting program that promotes early childhood literacy,' according to a news release. 'Reading opens up a world of imagination for kids, and having books in the home benefits children in school and throughout their lives,' Maureen Braun said in the release. 'I'm proud to champion this effort to keep Dolly Parton's Imagination Library growing strong here in Indiana and to help Hoosier kids develop a lifelong love of reading.' Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of The Dollywood Foundation, said in a statement that he appreciates Governor Mike Braun's commitment to early childhood literacy and the first lady's championing of the Imagination Library, which brings books to over 125,000 Hoosier children across the state. 'We are encouraged by Governor and First Lady Braun's support to ensure its future in Indiana. We look forward to working with the Governor and First Lady, state leaders, and Local Program Partners to keep books in the hands of Indiana's youngest learners and strengthen this foundation for a lifetime of success,' Conyers said. In the biennial budget approved in 2023, the state legislature approved $2 million in fiscal year 2023-2024 for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and $4 million in fiscal year 2024-2025. In the biennial budget the legislature passed at the end of the 2025 session, the funding for the program was eliminated. In Indiana, the total Imagination Library cost per child per year is $31, said Julie Wendorf, the director of the Crown Point Library and Crown Point Rotary Club leader of the Imagination Library program. With state funding, local cost became $15.50 and the state paid the remaining $15.50, she said. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library began through the Crown Point Library in 2014, Wendorf said, and was fully funded by the Crown Point Rotary Club. Currently, the Crown Point program has 781 children, she said. In 2018, the Lake County Public Library began its Imagination Library program funded by the Lake County Public Library Foundation, which holds fundraising events throughout the year to fund the program, Gutjahr said. Currently, the Lake County Public Library Imagination Library program has 2,177 children and 2,366 children have graduated out, Gutjahr said. In total, 3,443 children in Lake County are currently enrolled in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, Wendorf said. In addition to the Lake County Library and Crown Point Library programs, Whiting has 156 children in the program funded by the School House Children's Charity and 329 children are covered by the Lake County Legacy Foundation in areas outside the Lake County Public Library district, Wendorf said. When the state allocated funding for the program in 2023, Wendorf said many libraries across the state began participating in the program for the first time. For areas, like Crown Point and Lake County libraries, which already had an established Imagination Library program, Wendorf said the state funding allowed them to expand the program's reach. To receive the state funding, communities had to show they could cover 50% of the Imagination Library costs to receive the remaining 50% funding from the state, Wendorf said. In Lake County, Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lowell didn't establish Imagination Library programs until February because they didn't have the 50% local funding until recently, she said. At the end of 2024, Wendorf said she was able to reach an agreement with the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to secure 50% of funding for 5 years to provide the Imagination Library books to Hammond, East Chicago, Gary and Lowell. The program in those communities began taking registration in February, she said, with about 350 children already enrolled. If state funding ends, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation funds will be used in less than 5 years because those funds would then have to fully fund the program, Wendorf said. As the state begins to fundraise for the program, Wendorf said state officials may turn to the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation to further fund the program. But the foundation already helps fund the local portion, she said. 'Many of the local partners were concerned that the fundraising that would be happening at the state level would in essence challenge their local funding,' Wendorf said. 'It came to a shock to many when it was excluded from the budget.' When the state allocated 50% of funding through the budget, Gutjahr said it helped the Lake County Public Library program expand because the state provided a steady stream of revenue. 'We knew that we could accept additional families because here we had this chunk of money that we were guaranteed to receive, and we knew that it was for additional growth,' Gutjahr said. If the state fundraising money doesn't match what the state has offered the last two years, Gutjahr said the Lake County Public Library would have to pause accepting new children into the program, which requires funding a child until he or she turns 5 years old. 'That's the sad part, is knowing that you might have to delay registering a child for Imagination Library if you're hesitant if the money is going to be there going forward,' Gutjahr said. 'Once you accept a child into the program, whether they enroll at birth or at age two or three, you are committed to paying for that child until their fifth birthday.' But, Gutjahr said the Lake County Public Library Foundation will ensure that Dolly Parton's Imagination Library remains available for children. In Porter County, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library began about a year and a half ago as a partnership between the Porter County Public Library System, the Westchester Public Library and the Porter County Community Foundation, said Porter County Public Library System Director Jesse Butz. Currently, 3,388 Porter County children are enrolled in the program, Butz said, and 808 children graduated out of the program. With the shift in state funding from the state budget to fundraising, Butz said it's unknown how that will impact local libraries. Given that the program is still funded in the current fiscal year, Butz and Wendorf said the program will be state funded for the next few months. 'It's going to be a transitionary period as that 50% match goes from the state funding to the private funding,' Butz said. 'I'm just excited that we're able to continue the program.'
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
They send WA toddlers a book a month. That could end after state funding cuts
Washington lawmakers have cut funding for a children's literacy program that serves more than 121,000 children in the state. The Imagination Library is a literacy program run by The Dollywood Foundation; founded by Dolly Parton in 1995, the program mails enrolled children a monthly book from birth to five years of age at no cost to families. Washington state lawmakers ended their legislative session on April 27, finalizing the state's 2025–2027 operating budget. Although the state had previously indicated it would provide funding for the expansion of the Imagination Library, its funding was omitted from the final budget, according to a release the Imagination Library sent on April 28. According to 2023 U.S. Census data, there are just under 504,000 children age five and under in Washington state, meaning nearly one in four receive books from the Imagination Library. Brooke Fisher-Clark, executive director of the Imagination Library of Washington, said lawmakers had previously partnered with the foundation with House Bill 2068, which passed in 2022 and established the Imagination Library as a statewide program, providing about $2.5 million in state funding for the 2022-2024 biennium. The Imagination Library uses a public-private partnership model that receives a 50% funding match, with half from local partners and half from the state, according to the release. Now, the foundation hopes to rally the public to donate, with a goal of $2 million in order to keep the program running past June for the more than 121,000 currently enrolled Washington children, Fisher-Clark said. Factoring in expected growth of the program, the fundraising goal lies around $3.2 million, she added. In 2024, a research survey conducted by the Imagination Library of Washington in partnership with Longview Public Schools in southern Washington found that children participating in the Imagination Library before kindergarten performed better on the WaKIDS Kindergarten Readiness Assessment in eight learning objectives pertaining to literacy. Fisher-Clark said the foundation and its dozens of local program partners — which include school foundations, service clubs and nonprofits — advocated for continued funding, and asked for $7 million for the upcoming biennium to support existing enrollment and projected growth. Despite these efforts, the legislature faced a large budget deficit and couldn't find room for the program, she said. The majority of children enrolled are in the two to four age range — should the foundation fail to raise the funds necessary to continue operations, local program partners will have to decide whether to continue or pause the Imagination Library's operations and registrations in their area based on their own budgets, Fisher-Clark said. 'We are currently only able to support sending children their June books,' she said. 'Unless we get some significant support from the public, that is it for us being a statewide partner program, and it could be the end for the majority of our local program partners offering this program.' Since announcing the funding cut on Monday, the program has seen donations coming in and is hopeful to work towards their goal, Fisher-Clark said, adding that on Tuesday, the foundation was excited to receive a $40,000 anonymous donation, the bulk of about $45,000 they have raised so far. Contributions can be made at 'We really hope that the public rises to the occasion here and can save this wonderful program that was collectively built by so many people that love children and love early literacy around the state,' she said.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Editorial: Don't disappoint Dolly by ending Imagination Library funding
When announcing in 2023 that the state would allocate $6 million over the next two years for The Imagination Library, then-Gov. Eric Holcomb aptly stated that reading is 'the key to further education and opportunity.' His successor, Gov. Mike Braun, must feel differently. His budget proposal nixes appropriations for the reading program which provides free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5. According to The Dollywood Foundation, some 125,000 Hoosier children in all 92 counties receive books each month. Like Jimmy Carter's volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, Dolly Parton will be remembered for her efforts to ensure children have access to books, regardless of their family's income level. While The Imagination Library has largely been supported by charitable giving, removing public dollars from the program is a bad decision. It signals that reading isn't a priority for Braun and legislators who support his budget proposal. It's also strange timing considering recent improvements in Indiana reading scores. Over the past two years, Indiana has enjoyed a significant jump in reading scores amongst students. In the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, Indiana improved from 19th to sixth in the nation in fourth grade reading over a two-year period. Eighth grade reading results placed Indiana at sixth in the nation, up from 17th. 'This new data is just one more piece of evidence that the time and resources invested in this effort are paying off for students,' said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner when the results were released. 'This should provide continued motivation for everyone to keep our foot on the gas pedal, whether that's classroom teachers or parents reading to their child at home.' Ending public funding for The Imagination Library would be tapping the brakes, not keeping the foot on the gas pedal. As Jenner correctly states, reading at home is critical for young Hoosiers. Access to books, which The Imagination Library provides, is part of that progress. Why would Braun want to slow that progress? After catching heat from around the globe for the perplexing decision, Braun announced that his wife, First Lady Maureen Braun, would lead an initiative to raise money for The Imagination Library. That's commendable, but it should be done in concert with state funding. Instead of working '9 to 5' to axe funding for a successful reading program, Hoosier lawmakers should embrace Dolly's Imagination Library 'From Here to the Moon and Back.' Reading is a gateway. We should support swinging that gate wide open, not closing the door even an inch to comprehension, education and advancement. News and Tribune, Jeffersonville
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
OUR VIEW: Don't disappoint Dolly by ending Imagination Library funding
When announcing in 2023 that the state would allocate $6 million over the next two years for The Imagination Library, then-Gov. Eric Holcomb aptly stated that reading is 'the key to further education and opportunity.' His successor, Gov. Mike Braun, must feel differently. His budget proposal nixes appropriations for the reading program which provides free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5. According to The Dollywood Foundation, some 125,000 Hoosier children in all 92 counties receive books each month. Like Jimmy Carter's volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity, Dolly Parton will be remembered for her efforts to ensure children have access to books, regardless of their family's income level. While The Imagination Library has largely been supported by charitable giving, removing public dollars from the program is a bad decision. It signals that reading isn't a priority for Braun and legislators who support his budget proposal. It's also strange timing considering recent improvements in Indiana reading scores. Over the past two years, Indiana has enjoyed a significant jump in reading scores amongst students. In the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, Indiana improved from 19th to sixth in the nation in fourth grade reading over a two-year period. Eighth grade reading results placed Indiana at sixth in the nation, up from 17th. 'This new data is just one more piece of evidence that the time and resources invested in this effort are paying off for students,' said Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner when the results were released. 'This should provide continued motivation for everyone to keep our foot on the gas pedal, whether that's classroom teachers or parents reading to their child at home.' Ending public funding for The Imagination Library would be tapping the brakes, not keeping the foot on the gas pedal. As Jenner correctly states, reading at home is critical for young Hoosiers. Access to books, which The Imagination Library provides, is part of that progress. Why would Braun want to slow that progress? After catching heat from around the globe for the perplexing decision, Braun announced that his wife, First Lady Maureen Braun, would lead an initiative to raise money for The Imagination Library. That's commendable, but it should be done in concert with state funding. Instead of working '9 to 5' to axe funding for a successful reading program, Hoosier lawmakers should embrace Dolly's Imagination Library 'From Here to the Moon and Back.' Reading is a gateway. We should support swinging that gate wide open, not closing the door even an inch to comprehension, education and advancement.
