From OFFICE OF GOV. MIKE DEWINE
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today (10-1-2026) announced that sales of Ohio’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library specialty license plate have more than doubled following the beloved country music icon’s death on August 25. From January 1 to August 24, Ohioans purchased 533 plates. Since Dolly’s death on August 25, sales have surged to 1,113 plates.
First introduced in January 2025, the specialty plate supports Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Each plate generates a $25 contribution to the Imagination Library program in the county where the plate is purchased. Since January 2026, more than $80,000 has been raised for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Every plate sold helps cover the local cost of mailing one child a full year of books—12 high-quality, age‑appropriate titles delivered directly to their home.
“Ohio is proud to help carry forward Dolly Parton’s legacy of inspiring a love of reading in children,” said Governor DeWine. “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.”
“Purchasing a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library license plate is a wonderful way to support Dolly’s program and her legacy,” said First Lady Fran DeWine. “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.”
Ohio is the second state to offer a Dolly Parton’s 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.
Ohioans can purchase the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library license plate in person at any deputy registrar license agency or online at OPLATES.com.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio serves more than 440,000 Ohio children every month with a free book in the mail, the Imagination Library program in the country. Any Ohio child from birth to age 5 is eligible to receive a free monthly book delivery at no cost to families. Thanks to 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.
