08/28/2026
MESSAGE FROM THE PUTNAM COUNTY CUSD #535 SUPERINTENDENT
PC Schools Partnering with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
As the world mourns the recent passing of Dolly Parton, Putnam County Schools is proud to help carry forward one of the most meaningful parts of her remarkable legacy: putting books into the hands of young children.
Putnam County Schools is partnering with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide a free, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth to age five who reside within the Putnam County School District.
Dolly Parton was known around the world for her music, generosity, kindness, and unmistakable personality. However, one of her greatest and most lasting contributions may be her commitment to childhood literacy.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly launched the Imagination Library in 1995 in her home county in Tennessee. What began as a local effort grew into an international literacy program that has provided more than 300 million books to children.
Following Dolly’s passing, we are especially honored to bring this program to the children and families of Putnam County. Each book delivered to a child’s home represents a small piece of the extraordinary legacy she leaves behind.
Learning to read proficiently is critically important to a child’s success in school and throughout life. Research has also consistently demonstrated the importance of parents and caregivers reading with children beginning at a very young age. In addition to developing early literacy skills, reading together provides families with an opportunity to spend meaningful time together.
With this valuable opportunity in mind, the Putnam County Board of Education is pleased to complement the strong early literacy programs already provided through Putnam County Primary School by making Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available to our families.
Children enrolled in the program will receive carefully selected, age-appropriate books throughout their first five years, including beloved children’s classics and Dolly’s own Coat of Many Colors. As children prepare to enter kindergarten, their final book will be Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
This initiative would not be possible without the support of several community partners. We sincerely thank the Putnam County Library District, Putnam County Educational Foundation, Putnam County Rotary Club, and the North Central Regional Betterment Coalition (NCRBC) for helping make this opportunity available to our youngest learners.
Dolly Parton believed deeply in the power of books to change the trajectory of a child’s life. Although the world has lost an extraordinary entertainer and philanthropist, her commitment to children and literacy will continue for generations.
We are proud that her legacy will live on in the homes, classrooms, and lives of Putnam County children, one book at a time.
HOW TO SIGN UP:
Parents and guardians simply need to complete a registration form: https://aptg.co/gpCFcY
Please complete the form and return it to any Putnam County School. Completed forms may also be emailed to [email protected].
Putnam County Schools will forward completed registrations to the North Central Regional Betterment Coalition in LaSalle, Illinois, which serves as the regional community partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
For additional information about the program, visit:
https://ncrbc.net/dolly-partons-imagination-library/
Please note that the online enrollment option referenced on the Coalition’s website is not yet available in Putnam County.
If you have questions, please contact Putnam County CUSD #535 Superintendent Cody Martzluf at [email protected] or 815-882-2800 ext. 5.
Sincerely,
Cody Martzluf
Superintendent
