Entergy Arkansas is proud to partner with Arkansas Imagination Library and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences to help give every baby born at the state’s only teaching hospital a powerful first gift: a book.
Powered in part by a $35,000 donation from Entergy Arkansas, families welcoming a newborn at UAMS will be enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a nationally recognized early literacy program that delivers a free, age-appropriate book to children every month from birth until age five. The announcement was celebrated alongside Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Senator Clarke Tucker, Laura Landreaux, and the UAMS Chancellor, highlighting the shared commitment to early childhood education and opportunity.
“It is an honor to stand alongside these partners to celebrate something that truly shapes the next generation of Arkansas and that is early childhood literacy,” Landreaux said during her remarks while standing next to a life size cutout of the country music icon who founded the program. “Entergy has been a long supporter of early childhood literacy, not only through charitable funding, but also through our employees reading to students in our communities. We do this to help create and sustain thriving communities in our state.”
By removing financial barriers to early literacy, the Imagination Library ensures families can access high-quality books at no cost, supporting affordability for parents while improving school readiness and long-term opportunity for children.
In 2024 alone, the program served more than 109,000 children statewide and mailed over 1 million books. Currently, 82,000 Arkansas children, about 45% of the state’s 0-to-5 population, are enrolled, with expectations to reach more than 120,000 children in 2025. Since 2005, nearly 6 million books have been delivered to Arkansas families, helping more than 120,000 children enter school ready to learn.
“By providing books filled with inspiring stories from award-winning authors, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library does something powerful,” Landreaux said. “It promotes parent engagement from birth, strengthens school readiness, and helps close opportunity gaps, all while opening young lives to the infinite possibilities ahead.”
Entergy Arkansas has been an early literacy champion for many years, supporting programs that encourage reading at home and in schools. In 2024, the company awarded Arkansas Imagination Library a $110,000 grant in celebration of Entergy Arkansas’s 110th anniversary in the state, further strengthening a shared commitment to education and affordability as foundations for strong communities.
“As our company focuses not just on powering, but empowering the next generation, we believe that supporting children early in their life is one of the most meaningful ways to strengthen our communities and improve quality of life for everyone,” Landreaux said. “And that focus begins at birth.”
The partnership was also recognized by Gov. Sanders, who thanked Entergy Arkansas not only for its support of the Imagination Library, but for its consistent leadership across the state.
“I want to thank Entergy for their sponsorship, not just of this program, but Laura and the entire team,” Sanders said. “They are one of the first calls we make anytime there is a need in our state, no matter how big or small. They never hesitate to step up, help take care of people, and invest in things that truly matter. I’m incredibly proud of the partnership and the relationship we have with Entergy and the great work they continue to do here in Arkansas.”
The first book families will receive when they leave UAMS is The Little Engine That Could, a story of perseverance, belief, and possibility. “We believe that every baby born here has big things ahead of them,” Landreaux added. “This book is a reminder that with encouragement and opportunity, these children can achieve more than they have ever imagined.”
