What Is Imagination Library?

In 1996, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort to benefit the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly wanted to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families. She wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could ensure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income. 

So she decided to mail a brand new, age appropriate book each month to every child under 5 in Sevier County. With the arrival of every child’s first book, the classic The Little Engine That Could ™, every child could now experience the joy of finding their very own book in their mail box. These moments continue each month until the child turns 5 - and in their very last month in the program they receive Look Out Kindergarten Here I Come.

A community must make the program accessible to all preschool children in their area. The community pays for the books and mailing, promotes the program, registers the children, and enters the information into the database.

From there The Dollywood Foundation takes over and manages the system to deliver the books to the home.

How Do I Register?

In Broomfield and Boulder Counties, the Imagination Library is run through “Foothills United Way.”   Click here to visit their website and find contact information.  You can also register online at www.ImaginationLibrary.com by clicking on “First Time Visitors”.