GRAND ISLAND, NEBRASKA (July 17, 2026) Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library significantly strengthens early literacy skills for children in Nebraska’s Hall, Hamilton, Howard and Merrick Counties, alongside children across the United States and five other countries, according to a recent, groundbreaking study on shared book reading.
It’s the work partly funded by Heartland United Way’s signature fundraising event - Imagination Bacon, now in its 11th year of serving up unlimited craft beers, wines, and unique, mouth-watering bacon appetizers in an effort to put books in the hands of local kids.
On August 7, Blacktop Pony takes the stage at the BigIron Events Center (formerly Heartland Events Center). A $35 ticket gets you unlimited samplings of savory bacon bites and delicious brews, in addition to a pork slider meal and a souvenir tasting glass. Plus, you’ll have opportunities to bid on unique live & silent auction items and experiences.
Every taste and sip helps the Heartland United Way mail a free, age-appropriate book every month to children ages 0-5 in Hall, Hamilton, Howard, and Merrick Counties.
These local families already know what a recent study is now telling us.
More About the Study
The study, authored by Dr. Claire Galea, Head of Research at United Way Australia, analyzed data from more than 86,000 caregivers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland. Results were compared with responses from 18,112 caregivers who were on the program compared to 37,776 whose children were not in the program.
The study found that across all countries evaluated, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is linked to stronger early literacy outcomes and richer reading experiences at home—helping close early literacy gaps by strengthening foundational skills, increasing the frequency of children being read to, and boosting children’s interest and engagement during shared book reading. It also shows the program builds positive family reading habits and traditions, with caregivers more likely to interact in meaningful ways (like talking about pictures and encouraging children to hold the book), reinforcing a warm, consistent home literacy environment that supports children’s learning and long-term success.
- U.S. children were 11 times more likely to be interested in books and 15 times more likely to join in during shared reading compared to children not in the program.
- Children were nine times more likely to initiate shared reading and nearly three times more likely to demonstrate concepts about print compared to children not in the program.
Imagination Library in Hall, Hamilton, Howard & Merrick Counties
- Children enrolled to date: 13,510
- Books gifted locally to date: 413,870
- Local program launch year: 2013
Imagination Bacon
When: August 7, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: BigIron Events Center (formerly Heartland Events Center), Grand Island
To buy Imagination Bacon tickets or view auction items, visit: https://cbo.io/app/public/bidapp/imaginationbacon
To learn more about the program or register your child, visit: https://www.heartlandunitedway.org/imagination-library
To tell your Imagination Library story, visit: https://www.heartlandunitedway.org/form/dolly-parton-imagination-library
Thank you to this year’s Whole Hog sponsors BigIron Events Center, Sure Sound & Lighting and VenuWorks, as well as Razorback sponsors: Copycat Printing & Signs, Fonner Park, The Grand Island Independent, Hornady Manufacturing, Melodee Anderson, Nebraska State Fair and Roses for You. You can find additional generous sponsors who help make our mission possible by visiting our event website at www.heartlandunitedway.org/imagination-bacon.