Programs

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

In 1995, Dolly Parton launched an exciting new effort, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, to benefit the children of her home county in East Tennessee, USA. Dolly’s vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, 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.

Smart Start and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library are working together to get books into the hands of North Carolina’s youngest children.  In 2017, North Carolina’s state lawmakers included $3.5 million in the first year and $7 million in the second year of the state budget for Smart Start to administer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library across North Carolina.

The Smart Start network, made up of 75 local partnerships that serve our state’s communities, is signing up families across NC for Imagination Library which is a book gifting program for children from birth to age five. Together, we are working to ensure children develop a love of reading early on.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a program that mails a free book each month to children from birth up until the month of their 5^th birthday. These are high-quality books that are chosen by experts in the education and writing field and are based on the child’s age.

Who Is Eligible?

• All children ages 0-4
• Residents of Lenoir and Greene Counties

What are my responsibilities?

• Submit a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library registration request; filled out by the parent or guardian. Online registration
• Notify the Partnership for Children of Lenoir and Greene Counties any time the child’s address changes. Children’s books are sent to the address on the registration request.
• Most importantly, read with your child.

• When will my child receive their first book?

  • The first book will arrive within two to three months after the request has been approved by the Partnership for Children of Lenoir and Greene Counties. Children’s books will be mailed monthly, to your home and will continue until the month your child turns five or they no longer reside in the same county.

Enroll Online! (English) Parent Information (Spanish)

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