The Yukon government has made good on its election promise to support the Yukon's Imagination Library.

The Department of Health and Social Services agreed to match funds raised by the Rendezvous Rotary Club for the program, which distributes an age-appropriate book once a month to enrolled children up to age five.

"Literacy is tied to lifelong well-being and quality of life,” said Health Minister Doug Graham, speaking Friday afternoon at the Whitehorse Public Library.

"It's not a secret that reading to young children is one of the most effective ways of promoting healthy development.

"Reading to children feeds their curiosity about the world around them, it stimulates their imagination, improves vocabulary and puts them on the path to lifelong learning.”

Claire Derome, a representative of the rotary club, noted it hopes to raise $50,000.

"Literacy is a fundamental building block for learning,” she said.

"This program gives parents the tools to instill a love of reading in their children.

"Not only does the program help to increase children's interest in books, children enrolled enter Kindergarten better prepared and ready to learn compared to those who do not receive books.”

Previously, children had to enroll in the program before their first birthday. However, with the promise of increased funding, children will now be able to register at any time before their fifth birthday.

The program's expansion will occur first in the Yukon communities, reaching Whitehorse within the year.

The Imagination Library, started in Tennessee by Dolly Parton in 1996, made its way to the territory in 2007.

About 2,000 children are currently enrolled in the program, and the library expects to distribute 14,000 books this year.