Dolly Parton's Imagination Library reported website delays due to increased traffic last week.
One central Oklahoma library system is seeing additional interest in the program following the country music star and philanthropist's death.
The Pioneer Library System, which partners with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, says registrations for the pre-school reading program have increased substantially since last Tuesday.
Kelly Sitzman, Director of Communications at PLS, says more than 11,700 children are currently enrolled in the PLS chapter of the Imagination Library and projects enrollment will reach 12,000 by September.
Oklahoma County's Dolly Parton Imagination Library reports that more than 19,000 children are enrolled in the program that's distributed by the Metro Library System. The goal is to have 38,000 eventually enrolled.
More than 150,000 books have been mailed out to children in Oklahoma County.
Launched in Tennessee in 1995, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library provides free books to children under the age of five across the world. In Oklahoma, the program is available in 74 counties. As of 2020, the state funds 50% of the program's operational costs.
Robby Korth contributed to this report.
