Diane Williams, a Nashua reading specialist for more than 40 years, passed away in January 2021. Her daughters, Michelle Williams Buckman and Christine Williams, founded Diane's Library in May 2024. The organization has become New Hampshire’s largest partner of the book gifting program, Imagination Library, which was founded in 1995 by late country music legend, Dolly Parton. Courtesy photo/Diane's Library

NASHUA – Two years ago, residents Michelle Williams Buckman and Christine Williams founded Diane’s Library in memory of their mother, longtime Nashua educator Diane Williams.

Originally from Lexington, Mass., Diane received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her Master’s degree from Lesley University. Diane dedicated more than 40 years of her life to being a reading specialist at Main Dunstable and Mount Pleasant elementary schools. She died suddenly of an aneurysm in January 2021.

In the years that followed, Michele and Christine searched for a way to honor their mother’s legacy. This ultimately led to the founding of Diane’s Library in May 2024.

“Losing our mom so suddenly, we were in search of a way to channel our grief,” said Michelle. “We wanted to find a way to keep a part of her with us and to continue the work she cared about so deeply. Mom believed every child deserved the opportunity to become a reader. Diane’s Library allows us to carry that belief forward.”

Christine said her mother was acutely aware that “learning to read can change the trajectory of a child’s life.”

“She spent more than 40 years helping children develop those skills,” said Christine. “Knowing that thousands of children now have books arriving at their homes because of a program created in her memory is incredibly meaningful to our family.”

Diane’s Library provides books to Nashua’s children for the first five years of their lives. During the past two years, the organization has delivered more than 65,000 books.

Diane’s Library has also grown to become New Hampshire’s largest partner of the book gifting program, Imagination Library, which was founded in 1995 by late country music legend, Dolly Parton.

However, outside of Nashua, there are only three other nonprofits in the state that partner with Imagination Library.

On Aug. 27, two days after Parton’s death, State Sens. Darryl Abbas (R-Salem), Donovan Fenton (D-Keene) and Suzanne Prentiss (D-Lebanon) announced that they would co-sponsor a bill to expand Imagination Library across New Hampshire. The expansion would be funded for five years at $750,000 per year. The legislation is expected to be formally introduced on the Senate floor later this month.

“We have been working to find a way to open up this great program to all Granite State families with young children,” said Abbas. “Getting kids to read is a gateway to a lifetime of learning and we can build a public-private partnership to get children to reach for books instead of screens.”