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>>> IF YOU DON'T ALREADY LOVE MUSIC ICON DOLLY PARTON, THIS NEXT STORY MIGHT GET YOU THERE.

THE STATE IS PARTNERING WITH DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY TO MAIL NEW BOOKS TO ILLINOIS CHILDREN FROM LOW INCOME FAMILIES.

THE DOLLYWOOD FOUNDATION PAYS FOR THE BOOKS AND STATE AND EDUCATION PARTNERS PROVIDE THE SHIPPING COSTS.

IN CHICAGO, THE OFFICIAL PARTNERS IS A NONPROFIT, OPEN BOOKS.

THE PROGRAM IS STILL IN THE PROCESS OF THROWING OUT STATEWIDE, BUT SOME COMMUNITIES ARE ALREADY ELIGIBLE.

>> THE MORE THE KIDS ARE EXPOSED TO BOOKS BY AGE 5, THE MORE LIKELY THEY ARE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL, TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, TO COMPLETE COLLEGE.

AND SO THE PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED AND INSPIRED BY DOLLY FROM HER OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

HER FATHER WAS ILLITERATE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE NAMED.

AND SHE SAW AN OPPORTUNITY WITH ALL OF THE, THE CAPITAL THAT SHE BRINGS TO SET THIS PROGRAM UP, SO THAT KIDS RECEIVED ONE FREE BOOK, MAILED TO THEIR HOME EVERY MONTH AS EARLY AS ONE- MONTH-OLD UNTIL THEY TURNED FIVE YEARS OLD.

>> I SERVE THE 24th HOUSE DISTRICT, AND THAT'S ENTIRELY WITHIN THE CITY OF CHICAGO, AND IT INCLUDES THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF CHINATOWN, TILSON, BRIDGEPORT, McKINLEY PARK, BRIGHTON PARK, AND BACK OF THE YARD.

SO IT'S, IT'S MAJORITY IMMIGRANT , MAJORITY LATINO, AND ABOUT 25% -- ASIAN IMMIGRANTS AND, AND THEIR FAMILIES.

I REPRESENT LOTS OF FAMILIES THAT ARE ON THE LOWER ENDS OF THE INCOME SCALE, AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE THEM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE BOOKS FOR THEIR KIDS, AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IMPRINTING ON THEIR HOUSEHOLD BUDGET.

>> THE DOLLYWOOD FOUNDATION EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERS.

THERE'S A COMMITTEE OF LIBRARIANS AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS THAT CARRIED THE BOOKS SELECTIONS.

WE'RE RECOGNIZING MORE AND MORE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE DENSE POPULATIONS THAT ARE SPANISH- SPEAKING, AND RESPONDING ACCORDINGLY.

SO VERY, VERY OPEN TO FEEDBACK, AND MORE AND MORE SO, EVEN IN THE FOUR YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT, THE DIVERSITY OF BOOKS HAS GOTTEN RICHER AND DEEPER.

>> AGAIN, THE PROGRAM IS FOR CHILDREN UP TO FIVE YEARS OLD,