Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Jackson County, Oregon
The United Rotary Club's of Southern Oregon have teamed up with the Jackson County Library Services and the Jackson County Library Foundation to bring the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to families in our community.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children every month from birth to age five in participating communities. Through this program, every child under the age of five in Jackson County is qualified to receive a book by mail, at no cost to their families, every month until their fifth birthday. A great deal of brain development occurs in the early years of life, and studies have found clear developmental windows of opportunity during this period. If we can support development during these opportunities and provide strong, quality educational experiences the potential for significant benefits for our children and our community as a whole is great.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free books to children every month from birth to age five in participating communities. Through this program, every child under the age of five in Jackson County is qualified to receive a book by mail, at no cost to their families, every month until their fifth birthday. A great deal of brain development occurs in the early years of life, and studies have found clear developmental windows of opportunity during this period. If we can support development during these opportunities and provide strong, quality educational experiences the potential for significant benefits for our children and our community as a whole is great.
How to register a child:
1. Stop by your nearest library branch in Jackson County and fill out a paper registration form; or
2. Click the button below to register online.
2. Click the button below to register online.
The first book every child receives is The Little Engine That Could, which is Dolly Parton’s favorite book. The message of the book is timeless, encouraging children to never give up, do their best, and stay positive no matter what.
See the complete list of books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
This program is provided at no cost to the families — your only obligation is to notify the library in case of an address change.
The cost of the program is free for participants because of our donors and major sponsors.
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On behalf of the hundreds of children in Jackson County that will benefit from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, we say thank you to our generous community partners! Without their contributions, this program would not be possible.
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Meet the Committee
These are the volunteers working together to bring Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to Jackson County.
LeAnn MobleyCommittee Chair; Rotarian
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Breann WrightCommittee Co-chair & Secretary; Rotarian, Practice Administrator at Retina Care Center
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Ginny AuerTreasurer; Executive Director, Jackson County Library Foundation
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Marcee ChampionFood Programs Director, ACCESS
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Kari MayDirector, Jackson Public Library Services
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Carrie Turney RossArea Manager, Outreach & Programs, Jackson Public Library Services
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Brystan StrongYouth Coordinator, Jackson County Public Library Services
Ryan BradleyMarketing Director, Jackson County Public Library Services
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Kelly SzottEducator, DPIL Parent
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Sue SzottRetired Educator, DPIL Grandparent
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to start receiving books?
We mail out books to almost 2 million children a month. We must place our book orders a month in advance to do this. Depending on when you register your child, it may take up to eight to twelve weeks for the first book to arrive. After that, the books will come every month.
For example, if you registered your child on January 6th and were approved by your local affiliate in January, you would receive your first book in March.
I’m moving, what do I need to do?
When planning a move, please contact your local Imagination Library affiliate and provide them with your new address. To find your local affiliate (country-specific), visit the website for your country below. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that the program will be available in your new neighborhood.
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/find-my-program/
How do I know if my child was accepted into the program?
If you provide an email address with your registration, you will be notified via email when the registration is approved or entered into our system. If you do not have an email address, you will need to contact your local affiliate to find out more information, but it does take 8-12 weeks for books to start arriving after approval. You can find the local affiliate partner's information by using the links below:
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/find-my-program/
Do all children receive the same books?
Each child within an age group receives the same monthly book.
We make sure children receive an appropriate book by allocating them to an age group based on their year of birth. For example, children born in 2022 will receive board books with minimal text focusing on nurture and attachment, whereas a child born in 2017 will receive a softcover picture book, covering more complex concepts. A child enrolled from birth to their fifth birthday will build their own home library of up to 60 books. Learn more on our website: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/themes-concepts/
Are the books age appropriate?
Yes, All books within the program are age-appropriate and are selected by early childhood experts. More information about our Book Committee can be found at www.imaginationlibrary.com and select "Choosing Our Books under your country's menu.
Every child receives the same welcome book, regardless of age, and the following month the age-appropriate titles will start to arrive.
I’m expecting our baby in 6 months, when can I sign them up?
Congratulations! Provided there’s an Imagination Library program available in your community, you can sign your baby up with your local affiliate as soon as they are born. You can locate your local program by visiting our website.
How do you choose the books?
All titles in the Imagination Library are published by Penguin Random House and carefully selected by a panel of experts in early childhood and reading. Our Book Selection Committee meets annually to review and refresh the book list, drawing on their years of experience in early years and education. This ensures each book is age-appropriate, and the list features a broad range of titles, authors, and genres.
Do you offer bilingual books? How do I get bilingual books?
Yes, the Imagination Library does include some bilingual (English/Spanish) books for children living in the U.S., and we are always working to expand that selection. You can see a full list of this year’s books, including the bilingual options, by visiting our website.
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/book-list/
Can I enroll my entire class in the program?
If the program is available in your area, you may let parents and guardians know of the program and provide signup forms or website links but since enrollment requires consent from an authorized adult, no one other than the legal guardian may enroll children.
Audio & Braille Books
As of now, thanks to a collaborative effort between DPIL, APH, and Penguin Group, USA, an ever-expanding collection of titles will be available as free downloadable children’s audiobooks, and for those who prefer, there will be many titles available in braille from APH. These will be offered free of charge to eligible families and may be purchased at a low cost by all others.
Visit APH.org and learn more about downloading free children’s audio books online and obtaining free and low-cost children’s books in braille.
We mail out books to almost 2 million children a month. We must place our book orders a month in advance to do this. Depending on when you register your child, it may take up to eight to twelve weeks for the first book to arrive. After that, the books will come every month.
For example, if you registered your child on January 6th and were approved by your local affiliate in January, you would receive your first book in March.
I’m moving, what do I need to do?
When planning a move, please contact your local Imagination Library affiliate and provide them with your new address. To find your local affiliate (country-specific), visit the website for your country below. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that the program will be available in your new neighborhood.
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/find-my-program/
How do I know if my child was accepted into the program?
If you provide an email address with your registration, you will be notified via email when the registration is approved or entered into our system. If you do not have an email address, you will need to contact your local affiliate to find out more information, but it does take 8-12 weeks for books to start arriving after approval. You can find the local affiliate partner's information by using the links below:
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/find-my-program/
Do all children receive the same books?
Each child within an age group receives the same monthly book.
We make sure children receive an appropriate book by allocating them to an age group based on their year of birth. For example, children born in 2022 will receive board books with minimal text focusing on nurture and attachment, whereas a child born in 2017 will receive a softcover picture book, covering more complex concepts. A child enrolled from birth to their fifth birthday will build their own home library of up to 60 books. Learn more on our website: https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/themes-concepts/
Are the books age appropriate?
Yes, All books within the program are age-appropriate and are selected by early childhood experts. More information about our Book Committee can be found at www.imaginationlibrary.com and select "Choosing Our Books under your country's menu.
Every child receives the same welcome book, regardless of age, and the following month the age-appropriate titles will start to arrive.
I’m expecting our baby in 6 months, when can I sign them up?
Congratulations! Provided there’s an Imagination Library program available in your community, you can sign your baby up with your local affiliate as soon as they are born. You can locate your local program by visiting our website.
How do you choose the books?
All titles in the Imagination Library are published by Penguin Random House and carefully selected by a panel of experts in early childhood and reading. Our Book Selection Committee meets annually to review and refresh the book list, drawing on their years of experience in early years and education. This ensures each book is age-appropriate, and the list features a broad range of titles, authors, and genres.
Do you offer bilingual books? How do I get bilingual books?
Yes, the Imagination Library does include some bilingual (English/Spanish) books for children living in the U.S., and we are always working to expand that selection. You can see a full list of this year’s books, including the bilingual options, by visiting our website.
https://imaginationlibrary.com/usa/book-list/
Can I enroll my entire class in the program?
If the program is available in your area, you may let parents and guardians know of the program and provide signup forms or website links but since enrollment requires consent from an authorized adult, no one other than the legal guardian may enroll children.
Audio & Braille Books
As of now, thanks to a collaborative effort between DPIL, APH, and Penguin Group, USA, an ever-expanding collection of titles will be available as free downloadable children’s audiobooks, and for those who prefer, there will be many titles available in braille from APH. These will be offered free of charge to eligible families and may be purchased at a low cost by all others.
Visit APH.org and learn more about downloading free children’s audio books online and obtaining free and low-cost children’s books in braille.
We are a 501(c)(3) organization EIN: 83-2855784
Registered with the Oregon Secretary of State