Dolly Parton library coming to town

By Lethbridge Herald on May 31, 2025.

Alejandra Pulido-Guzman
Lethbridge Herald

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has finally arrived in Lethbridge, and a local teacher is one of the co-chairs of the program that’s helping kids discover a love for reading at an early age. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five. 

The program originally launched in 1995, in Sevier County, Tennessee where Dolly grew up and because of its success, the program expanded across the United States, and it made its way to Canada in 2006. And now is finally right here in Lethbridge. 

Brody Turnbull, a math and science teacher at Chinook High School, first learned about the program in Medicine Hat while his son was little and was able to receive a few books before the program unfortunately shut down. 

“He has aged out since, but I thought it was such a good program that I wanted to bring it to Lethbridge,” says Turnbull. 

He explains that he has been trying to do that for the last few years, and then in September 2024 Amanda Johnson and Dana Snow, two local residents, also contacted the organization.

“The foundation contacted me and said there was two more people interested in helping me, so now we are this awesome group that is bringing books to the kids,” says Turnbull. 

He adds that the program opened registrations just a few days ago and it already filled up, and now they have a waiting list. 

“It depends on funding unfortunately, so right now we need all the help we can get to be able to have enough funds to accommodate all the kids that are registered,” says Turnbull. 

He says that since each kid receives a book per month from newborn to the month of their fifth birthday, they could potentially end up with 60 books, and it takes approximately $47 to help a child receive 12 books per year. 

“Right now, we have enough funding for approximately 50 plus kids. We are trying to make sure that the funding we do secure allows more kids to join the library and it ensures that the program could continue in Lethbridge,” says Turnbull. 

He says they want to make sure they do not run of funds too fast, and they already have a waitlist that is extensive. 

When kids register for the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, they receive a specific set of books that have been carefully selected. 

“The first book they get is ‘The little engine that could,’ and it comes with a little introduction of what the program is, how important literacy is,” says Turnbull. 

The Canadian branch of the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has workers that ensure that kids are getting Canadian content in addition to the other content. 

“Indigenous content from indigenous authors as well. And the Canadian branch has a specific list of books that kids receive at a certain age. When they are born, there is a list of 12 books they will receive during their first year, and so on,” says Turnbull. 

He says the nice thing is that the books change every year, so even if a new sibling enrolls, they will receive their own set of books unique for them. 

“At the moment, we are not enrolling the younger siblings yet, to ensure that we hit as many households as possible and then we’ll do the waiting list, and then we’ll do the siblings,” says Turnbull. 

For more information, to register for the program or to donate visit https://imaginationlibrary.com/ca/affiliate/ABLETHBRIDGE/