(ROCHESTER, NY) - Today, Senator Jeremy Cooney (D-Rochester), Dr. Matt Present, Chapter Founder of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Rochester, and Rochester City School District Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser visited a preschool class at Flower City School No. 54 to both announce funding Senator Cooney secured in this year’s budget for Imagination Library programs statewide and to launch their push for $7 million during next year’s legislative session. During the announcement, Senator Cooney delivered the 100,000th free book from the Rochester program to a student in the preschool class. 

“There is a real literacy crisis in our community and across New York,” said Senator Cooney. “We can’t expect our youth to succeed in school unless we expose them early to the joy of reading, and that’s exactly what Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is all about. As the son of an English teacher, this push has always been deeply personal to me. So while we celebrate the progress we have made to expand this vital program, we know there’s more work ahead to make a substantial difference in so many children’s lives.”

Dr. Matt Present, Rochester Chapter Founder said, “This 100,000-book milestone represents an informed act of faith in the potential of our community's youngest learners: By equipping families with consistent, high-quality, early literacy resources that meet them where they are, Senator Cooney and the Rochester Imagination Library know that we can stem the tide in the current literacy crisis. We're delighted to have an advocate like Senator Cooney who's working hard to support and expand a science-backed program that works. There's no more precious resource or better investment than a young child's rapidly developing brain, and it's about time we start supporting this crucial phase.”

A recent analysis by The Education Trust - New York reported that “less than 40% of all Monroe County students in grades 3-8 are proficient in reading, with significantly lower rates for students with disabilities, those from low-income backgrounds and students who are Black or Latinx.” These statistics are especially stark in the city, where data from 2022 revealed only 8% of students in grades K-8 are reading at grade level, well below the state average. Senator Cooney explained that the Imagination Library program is an opportunity to improve literacy rates and instill a love of learning at a young age before a child begins their formal education. 

Senator Cooney has been a champion of expanding the Imagination Library statewide and in supporting the local Rochester chapter. After securing $500,000 for the program in the FY25 budget, Senator Cooney announced that he was able to achieve a $1,000,000 allocation in FY26. The Senator announced that as a part of this funding, the Rochester chapter would be receiving a grant of $49,000 to support their efforts. 

To build off of these past successes, Senator Cooney and local partners formally launched their advocacy for more funding in next year’s budget to continue supporting the local chapter and programs across New York State. Senator Cooney noted this will be one of his top priorities when the legislative session begins in January. 

Local families can enroll directly for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at RochesterImaginationLibrary.org.

“Early literacy is the foundation for every child’s success, and we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Dr. Matt Present and the Imagination Library,” said Dr. Eric Jay Rosser, Superintendent of Schools. “Thanks to Senator Cooney’s advocacy to expand this program statewide, more children will have the opportunity to discover the joy of reading and unlock their full potential from an early age.”

Lauren Wirt, Regional Director, The Dollywood Foundation said, “The Dollywood Foundation is excited to partner with the State of New York to help build a strong reading culture in homes and improve children’s readiness for kindergarten. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is an affordable, scalable program that gives all children equal access to books, helping them develop a love of reading from an early age. This early investment supports families, boosts learning outcomes, and strengthens communities overall, a win win!”

“Literacy is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s long-term success. At United Way, we believe deeply in the power of reading to open doors, build confidence, and unlock a world of opportunity,” said Jaime Saunders, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes. “We are proud to partner in support of expanding the Dolly Parton Imagination Library across New York State. Our United Way has a long history of investing in early childhood education and supports for the whole family. When we invest in early literacy, we invest in our children’s future, family connections, and in the strength and vitality of our communities.”

Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Program Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 2.9 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More™. 

The program has been widely researched and results demonstrate the positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

###