Across Oregon, too many kids are starting school already behind when it comes to reading. Nearly two-thirds of children aren’t meeting third-grade literacy benchmarks, which creates a gap that can ripple through a child’s entire education. This Willamette University alumna is working to change that.
Kaylee Chrystal (BA 2020) now helps guide the statewide growth of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon, a program that mails free, age-appropriate books to young children every month. Her work helps make sure the joy and routine of reading reach families in every corner of the state.
Rooted in Salem, Focused on Service
As Community Engagement Coordinator for the Imagination Library of Oregon, she supports 56 local program partners across the state.
“Willamette was pivotal to my journey,” Chrystal shared in a recent Willamette News feature by Melanie Moyer. “The Humanities program gave me a foundational grounding that I rely on for both my career and personal life.”
That grounding now supports a large-scale effort with very tangible results. In 2025 alone, nearly 800,000 books were mailed to Oregon families—each one addressed directly to a child, reinforcing that the book belongs to them.
All Oregon Counties Can Now Enroll
The Imagination Library provides one high-quality book each month to children from birth to age five, at no cost to families. In 2025, the program reached a milestone years in the making: statewide availability. As of May, families in all 36 Oregon counties (and every zip code) can now enroll.
Locally, the Marion & Polk Early Learning Hub plays a key role in helping manage enrollment in the Salem area and contributing to a statewide total of more than 65,000 active children.
That growth has been supported by state investment and community funding. During the 2023 legislative session, Senate Bill 5506 allocated $1.7 million through the Department of Early Learning and Care. For the 2025–2027 biennium, that commitment increased to $2 million to support continued expansion.
Why Early Literacy is Important
The push comes at a critical moment for Oregon families. Governor Tina Kotek has highlighted the Imagination Library as a key piece of the state’s broader literacy strategy. By putting physical books (including bilingual Spanish-English titles and Braille options) directly into homes, the program helps close educational gaps in every community across Oregon.
Studies show children enrolled in the program are more likely to enter kindergarten with stronger early literacy and math skills. According to State Director Laurie McNichols, that shared experience matters. “It begins to make a more systemic impact where so many children are having this shared experience,” she said. “It becomes a norm” (KLCC)
How Families Can Sign Up
For Salem families and households across Oregon, enrolling is simple. Any child under the age of five is eligible, regardless of income. Once signed up, children receive a book in the mail every month, addressed just to them. This builds excitement, routine, and a sense of pride around reading!
As Chrystal continues this work, she draws inspiration from the program’s founder. With hundreds of thousands of books already delivered and full statewide access now in place, that “little cup of ambition” is helping turn early reading into a shared Oregon experience.
Links for further reading:
- Working 9 to 5 for childhood literacy: Kaylee Chrystal BA’20 spreads reading magic through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Oregon
- Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- Oregon Imagination Library receives state funding to continue mailing books to children
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library: Oregon