Richland County, Ohio Imagination Library

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails kids one free book each month until his or her 5th birthday. Any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 is eligible for the program, which is available at no cost to families.

What It’s About

Country music superstar Dolly Parton established Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in 1995 as a tribute to her father who could not read or write. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading and learning by gifting a monthly book at no cost to families.

Since 1995, the Imagination Library has become the preeminent, early childhood book gifting program in five countries. The program is mailing over 2 million books a month to children across the world! 

Ohio’s statewide Imagination Library program was established in 2019 under the guidance of Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. She first learned about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library years ago through her grandchildren, who received books from a local Imagination Library program. She saw the impact these books had on her own family and wished for every child across Ohio to have the same opportunity.

Each month, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a high quality, age-appropriate book to all registered children, addressed to them, at no cost to the child’s family. Many groups and individuals work hard behind the scenes to make that special moment possible for each child.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library provides the infrastructure of the core program, including managing the secure central database for the Book Order System, and coordinating book selections and wholesale purchasing. It also incurs the cost of the program’s administrative expenses and coordinates the monthly mailings.

Ohio’s statewide program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, works in all 88 counties to foster the growth and sustainability of the program. Thanks to support from the Ohio General Assembly, a 50% match is provided each month to assist Local Program Partners covering the cost of the program. 

Local Program Partners are the primary local point of contact for the Imagination Library. These teams are responsible for enrolling children who live within the geographical area they cover. They promote the program locally to increase enrollment, build awareness for, and fundraise to cover the cost of the program. Books are 100% free to enrolled children because their Local Program Partner has secured funds to cover the cost of the books and the shipping fees. 

All Local Program Partners are 501(c)(3) organizations who share in the mission and purpose of the Imagination Library. 

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What is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio mails kids one free book each month until his or her 5th birthday. Any child in Ohio between birth and age 5 is eligible for the program, which is available at no cost to families.

Who can sign up? 

Caregivers can enroll their children at the Ohio Imagination Library. About 6-8 weeks after registering, the child will receive one age-appropriate book each month.

What address should I use to sign up with? 

The child’s home address. Dolly wants the books to be mailed directly to the child each month.

Is this program free? 

Yes! Thanks to generous sponsors, this program remains available at no cost to all families in Ohio.

Who sponsors Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio?

There are several sponsors who support the program! Richland Public Health funds 50% of the program and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio (the statewide program) matches that. You will not have to pay to participate.

What happens if I move? Can my child continue receiving the books? 

If you move to another address in Ohio, you can make that change at the Ohio Imagination Library site. If you need help, just call us at 419-774-4761.

Who can I contact if I have questions?

Richland Public Health

Phone: 419-774-4761

Email: snelson@richlandhealth.org

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