FBA Teams with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

Literacy is a key stepping stone to being a fully functioning participant in today’s digital world and tapping into the vast resources of the internet, from e-commerce and basic government services to applying for employment, working from home, and accessing quality healthcare.

At Fiber Connect 2025, the Fiber Broadband Association (FBA) and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) announced they are teaming up to support early literacy efforts nationwide, planting the seeds of reading in households around the country.

“The FBA and its member companies are focused on ensuring the digital divide is closed and the communities we serve have the digital literacy skills needed to thrive in the modern, connected economy,” said Ashley Travers, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, KGPCo and the FBA/DPIL Program Liaison. “FBA’s members are active participants in their local communities, and through this collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we can help connect the people we serve to a brighter, more literate future.”

This mutual effort draws on each organization’s focus on education, long-term community impact, and connecting people to a brighter future. Through this partnership, FBA’s more than 600 members are encouraged to help expand the reach of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library throughout every state, community, and home served.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is grounded in decades of early childhood research showing that reading physical books with children from birth helps develop language skills, promotes brain development, and strengthens family bonds. By mailing a high-quality, age-appropriate book to enrolled children every month from birth to age five, DPIL helps families build early reading routines.

“From the day a child is born, reading physical books with their caregiver helps build language skills, nurtures family bonds, and lays the foundation for future learning, benefiting children, families, and communities for generations to come,” said Nell Withers McCauley, Program Director for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. “By encouraging support for the Imagination Library, the Fiber Broadband Association is helping bring this critical tool into the homes and hearts of more children.”

Since its inception in 1995, DPIL has gifted over 300 million books to nearly 3.2 million children across five countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia. The program has a proven impact on early literacy, helping children develop stronger language skills, kindergarten readiness, and a lifelong love of reading.

DPIL programs are managed by local partners across the U.S. who enroll children and promote the program to cover the cost of wholesale books and mailing. FBA members are being asked to be DPIL local partners, reinforcing FBA’s longstanding commitment to strong, connected communities.

DPIL local partner benefits include strengthening community connections by supporting literacy initiatives that improve educational outcomes and quality of life; creating long-lasting impact by supporting early literacy, one of the strongest predictors of academic and career success, benefiting individuals and communities for generations; and enhancing visibility and engagement by increasing awareness of each organization’s commitment to community development and creating meaningful engagement with customers and employees.

To learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, visit its website at https://imaginationlibrary.com/.