Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in California
The Imagination Library of California gifts high quality, age-appropriate books every month to children from birth until the child turns five. There is no cost to families and books are available in English or in bilingual English/Spanish. Enroll today!
All children under five in 20 counties and other communities with existing programs can be signed up today and will begin receiving books usually within six to eight weeks. If the Imagination Library hasn’t come to your community yet, register to be notified when the program becomes available in your area. For more information, visit the Imagination Library’s Find My Program page.
Who Can Get Books?
All 2.4 million children in California under the age of five will become eligible, regardless of family income, as local programs expand across all areas of the state. Just sign up and an age-appropriate book should arrive at the beginning of the month, usually six to eight weeks after enrolling. If more than one child under the age of five lives in one household, each child can be signed up and receive their own books.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has created a list of frequently asked questions from parents. Find the full list at http://support.imaginationlibrary.com/. If you need help signing up, visit your local library for assistance.
A Little History
Dolly Parton launched the Imagination Library in 1995 for the children of her home county in east Tennessee. Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool aged children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month.
Today the Imagination Library is in five countries and all 50 states. It has delivered more than 200 million books to children since its inception in 1995.
The Imagination Library is expanding across the state because of legislation authored by state Senator Shannon Grove and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins. It was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and is the latest investment California is making in strengthening early learning opportunities for all.
Bring the Imagination Library of California to Your Community
The Imagination Library of California needs local partners to spread the word and help connect parents and guardians of eligible children to books to build home libraries. If the Imagination Library isn’t available where you live yet, help us find a local partner to get started in your community.
Imagination Library of California Strong Reader Partnership
The legislation that created the Statewide Imagination Library Program in California requires the State Librarian to coordinate with a nonprofit entity that is organized solely to promote and encourage reading by the children of the state, for purposes of implementing the bill’s provisions. That nonprofit entity is the Imagination Library of California Strong Reader Partnership.