FAYETTE COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Fayette Education Foundation announced that Dolly Parton's Imagination Library program will temporarily pause book distribution after January 2026 due to rising costs and limited funding.
According to a press release, early 8,000 families currently enrolled in the literacy program will receive their January book as scheduled, but monthly deliveries will stop afterward while the foundation works to secure additional funding.
"Imagination Library has been a treasured program for thousands of Fayette County families, and this decision was not made lightly," Carrie Boling said.
Boling serves as executive director of the Fayette Education Foundation, which operates the program independently from Fayette County Public Schools.
The foundation must raise $8,000 to $10,000 monthly to operate the program locally, representing half the total cost. The Kentucky Legislature funds the remaining portion. At current enrollment levels, this requires $96,000 to $120,000 annually in local philanthropic support.
"Our commitment to early literacy remains strong, and we are actively exploring funding strategies to restore monthly book deliveries in the future," Boling said.
The foundation is directly contacting families with active email addresses to ensure they receive accurate information about the program update.
