Published on April 28, 2026
Franklin County Board of Commissioners I Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a $100,000 subaward agreement with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio to continue providing free books to young children across the county.
Through the partnership with the Imagination Library and Nationwide Children's Hospital, each enrolled child receives one age-appropriate book per month from birth to age five at no cost to the family. Any child in Franklin County within that age range is eligible for the full program.
During the previous award period, the program distributed more than 115,000 books to Franklin County children. The renewed agreement is expected to deliver over 77,000 books during the current cycle.
Carmen Barnes, Chief Operating Officer of the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, presented the resolution at the April 28 General Session. Barnes cited research showing that children with 25 or more books in the home develop stronger reading skills and complete an average of two additional years of school compared to children without books.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, founded in 1995, is the world's largest early childhood book gifting program, mailing more than three million books per month to registered children.
The resolution aligns with Rise Together Poverty Blueprint Goal 13: strengthening partnerships with parents to increase support for young people.