This September, DEMCO is celebrating the growing local impact of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, including more than 32,000 books mailed to children in DEMCO-funded parishes over the past year, while continuing its work to connect more families with the program.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a free book-gifting program for children from birth to age 5. Each month, registered children receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book mailed directly to their home at no cost to their families.
The DEMCO Foundation serves as a Local Program Partner for the Imagination Library in Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, St. Helena, and West Feliciana parishes, promoting the program, managing enrollment, and providing administrative support.
DEMCO also provides funding for books in three of those parishes, beginning with St. Helena Parish in 2021, West Feliciana Parish in 2022, and Livingston Parish in 2024. Today, DEMCO funds books for more than 3,200 children across the three parishes. Over the past year alone, 32,587 books have been mailed to children in those communities.
Since 2022, $60,000 has been invested to support the Imagination Library in these parishes, with $30,000 from DEMCO and an additional $30,000 from CoBank through its Sharing Success program.
In East Baton Rouge and Ascension parishes, DEMCO manages enrollment and provides administrative support as the Local Program Partner, while books are supported through other funding sources. Currently, 4,183 children are enrolled in East Baton Rouge Parish and 2,117 in Ascension Parish.
“Our role is to help connect families in our communities with this program and put books into the hands of children from an early age,” said Mark Phillips, DEMCO CEO and general manager. “We believe in what Dolly created and the difference it makes for children and families, and we are proud to continue doing our part locally to carry that work forward.”
September is the Imagination Library of Louisiana’s statewide “9 to 5” campaign month, an effort to increase awareness and connect more children and families with the program. On Friday, Sept. 25, Local Program Partners across the country will also come together to honor Dolly Parton and celebrate the impact of the Imagination Library.
DEMCO is participating throughout the month with social media, radio and bill insert promotions, along with read-aloud events for preschool children in Livingston, St. Helena and West Feliciana parishes.
“DEMCO first incorporated read-aloud events into its ‘9 to 5’ campaign in 2025, when DEMCO linemen visited local classrooms to read an Imagination Library book with preschool children,” said Chanon Martin, manager of member and community engagement. “The visits were so well received that DEMCO has made them an annual part of DEMCO’s September campaign.”
Jeff Conyers, president of The Dollywood Foundation, shared a message about Dolly’s legacy and the work that continues through the program:
“Dolly didn't build the Imagination Library to last for her lifetime. She built it to last for theirs.
Dolly's legacy will certainly live on through the songs she wrote, the characters she created, and the joy she brought to millions of people. But I believe some of her most important legacy will live quietly in homes around the world — in the moments when a parent reads to a child, when a little hand turns a page, when a favorite story is requested one more time before bed, or when a child begins to believe that there is a bigger world waiting for them.
There are more children to reach. More books to send. More families to bring into this wonderful community Dolly created. The greatest tribute we can give her is to keep it going — together.”
For DEMCO, that means continuing its work as a Local Program Partner, introducing families to the Imagination Library, enrolling eligible children, and helping more families in its communities connect with the program.
Families with children from birth to age 5 can learn more and register for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through the Community section at DEMCO.org. Program brochures and bookmarks with registration information are also available at DEMCO member service centers.
DEMCO linemen Daniel Pendergist (L) and Collin Howell (R) read a book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to children at Bains Lower Elementary School during the cooperative’s 2025 “9 to 5” campaign. After a positive response from local schools and children, DEMCO has made the read-aloud visits an annual part of its September Imagination Library activities.
