Home / Education / Free Books for N.W.T. Kids: Imagination Library Expands
Free Books for N.W.T. Kids: Imagination Library Expands
27 Oct
Summary
- Imagination Library now reaches every N.W.T. community for kids under five.
- A recent fundraising drive brought Hay River fully on board for the year.
- In September, 704 children across the territory received books.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a program delivering free monthly books to children under five, is nearing its goal of reaching every preschooler in the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.). The N.W.T. Literacy Council reported significant progress following a recent fundraising effort, which fully funded Hay River for the year.
In September 2026, 704 children across the N.W.T. received books through the program, with another 20 children waiting for enrollment. Local partners, like Troy Bellefontaine in the Dehcho region, fund the community portion for each child, approximately $46 annually, to ensure access to these crucial early literacy resources.
First established in the Beaufort Delta in 2014 and expanding to the Dehcho in 2016, the program aims to foster a love of reading and learning from an early age. Bellefontaine emphasizes the importance of early intervention, stating that early literacy can open doors to lifelong learning and improved educational outcomes for children, especially in communities without local bookstores.
