COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sales of the Ohio Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library specialty license plate have more than doubled following the country music star’s Aug. 25 death, Gov. Mike DeWine announced this week.
From Jan. 1 to Aug. 24, Ohioans bought 533 plates. Since Parton’s death, sales have surged to 1,113 plates.
Introduced in January 2025, the specialty plate supports Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Each plate generates a $25 contribution to the program in the county where the plate is purchased. Since January 2026, more than $80,000 has been raised for the program. Every plate sold helps cover the local cost of mailing one child a full year of books.
“Ohio is proud to help carry forward Dolly Parton’s legacy of inspiring a love of reading in children,” DeWine said. “The surge in license plate sales shows how strongly Ohioans value early literacy and how much they appreciate Dolly and all she has done to put books in the hands of children.”
Ohio is the second state to offer a Parton Imagination Library specialty plate, following Tennessee, Parton’s home state. The Ohio plate features a portrait of Parton and celebrates her legacy of promoting early childhood literacy.
“Purchasing a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library license plate is a wonderful way to support Dolly’s program and her legacy,” said Fran DeWine, the governor’s wife. “A portion of your purchase helps cover the local cost of mailing books to children in your community, supports the program and helps to ensure Dolly’s beloved legacy as ‘the Book Lady’ lives on.”
Ohioans can buy the specialty license plate online or at any deputy registrar license agency.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio serves more than 440,000 Ohio children every month with a free book in the mail. Any Ohio child from birth to age 5 is eligible to receive a free monthly book delivery at no cost to families.
Because of support from the Ohio General Assembly and more than 75 local program partners, the program is available statewide. Ohio parents can sign their children up for free books at OhioImaginationLibrary.org.