CINCINNATI — Ohio has become the first state in the nation to offer parents the option to sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library directly when registering their child's birth certificate.
The initiative, championed by Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine, aims to get free books into the hands of more children from birth through age 5.
"We're the first one to have the birth certificate option, and we have more kids in our program in Ohio than any other state," DeWine said. "We have about 405,000 kids that are signed up right now, and that's more than any other program in any other state."
The Imagination Library sends books every month to children free of charge. DeWine pushed to make enrollment standard for every child born in Ohio, giving families an easy way to access the program.
DeWine's passion for the program began when she witnessed her grandchildren's excitement firsthand.
"I was with two of my grandkids one day when the mail came, and two books like this came in the mail and (were addressed) to each of the children and they ripped that plastic off, 'Read to me, read to me, grandma,'" DeWine said. "I saw how excited they were."
The program's funding structure involves multiple partners. The Imagination Library covers shipping and coordination costs. Each Ohio county has a sponsor — in Hamilton County, that's Children's Hospital — which pays for half the cost of the books. The state legislature covers the remaining cost of $1.30 per book.
DeWine emphasized the importance of early enrollment to maximize the program's impact.
"We thought, you know, if we do it, we want to do it as soon as possible because it's more impactful if you know the kids get the books right away," DeWine said. "They're going to get 60 books by the time they turn 5 if we get them signed up right away, and those early days and months are when their brain is developing."
While DeWine has spent much of her time as Ohio's First Lady working behind the scenes, this initiative represents a legacy project as she approaches her final year in the role.
"This is something that I can do to every single child in the whole state that I can help them, you know, and just, and I can educate parents on how important this is," DeWine said.
The enrollment process is simple — parents just check a box on the birth certificate paperwork, and their child will receive a book every month until they turn 5 years old.
DeWine said she hopes Ohio's pioneering approach will inspire other states to adopt similar programs nationwide.
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