CLINTON — Thanks to United Way, Vespasian Warner Public Library and county music performer Dolly Parton, more local kids will be exposed to the joys of reading through owning their own books.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book donating program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age 5, no matter their family’s income.  The program reaches internationally.  United Way of Decatur & Mid-Illinois is bringing the program to the Clinton area with the help of Warner Library.

Ryan Huffer, director of marketing for UWDMI helped launch the program last week in Clinton.

“Books will come directly to their homes once a month,” Huffer said.  “The books are high quality and age-appropriate, are very diverse, and they also come bilingual.”

Huffer said United Way was excited to be part of the program. 

“It’s completely free to the families.  They don’t have to pay anything,” he said.

All eight DeWitt County zip codes will be eligible for the program. 

• See the complete story in the Friday, Jan. 28, print edition of the Clinton Journal or now in the Journal E-Edition for subscribers.