Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
It's HERE! All Warren County children under the age of five may now sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! It's FREE, easy to do, and each of your children will receive a FREE BOOK EACH MONTH.
Studies show that most of a child’s brain development happens by their 4th birthday. Maximize your child’s potential!
This program is made possible by a cooperative effort of the five Warren County libraries, the Ohio Governor’s Imagination library program, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, in conjunction with the Warren County Foundation.
What is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library?
The Imagination Library provides one free book every month to children from birth to age fourliving in a supported school district. All parents have to do is apply and their eligible child will begin receiving a new book in the mail every month until they turn five.
There are no fees, the books are delivered directly to the child’s home, and the child gets to keep them forever.
Is my child eligible for the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library?
The Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library is open to any child from birth through age four. Children age out of the program on their fifth birthday.
Please note: It takes 8-12 weeks for your child to receive their first book, so if you newly enroll a child who is 4 years and 10 months old, they would probably age out of the program before receiving any books.
How do I register my child for the Ohio Governor's Imagination Library?
Registering your child for the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library takes just five minutes. The fastest way to register is to visit OhioImaginationLibrary.org and click on Enroll. Follow the prompts to enroll your child.
You can also fill out a paper enrollment form by visiting Mason Public Library. Once you fill out the paper enrollment form, simply mail it in to our county affiliate: Mary L. Cook Public Library, 381 Old Stage Rd. Waynesville, OH 45068. If you turn it in at the Mason Public Library, we mail it to them. Again, the fastest way to enroll by far is to do so online.
How does it work?
Your child will receive age-appropriate books, carefully selected by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.*
Once a month, a new book will be mailed directly to your home.
After your child has been registered, the first book will arrive within 8-10 weeks.
This service is provided at no cost to your family until your child’s 5th birthday or you move out of Warren County to an ineligible address.
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*Titles are selected based on specific themes & concepts. Current selections are often posted on the Imagination Library’s blog.
Why is it important?
Studies show that children who grow up surrounded by books do better in school. The Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, for example, found that reading aloud to children at a young age has a positive impact on brain development.
The National Commission on Reading states that “The single most significant factor influencing a child’s early educational success is an introduction to books and being read to at home prior to beginning school.”
It’s the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library’s and Mason Public Library’s goal to give every child possible the advantage of having books and reading opportunities at home. Parents can get an Imagination Library application at Mason Public Library or enroll online.
What books are included in the program?
See the full list of books the Imagination Library mails out here!
Who do I contact if I have a question about my child's registration status?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s registration status, please contact the Warren County affiliate by typing in your zip code here to receive your Warren County contact information. The person to contact is listed as the Database Manager at that link.
The Database Manager can help with entering wrong birth dates, wrong gender, address issues, or other registration and status questions.
What are my responsibilities as a parent or guardian?
Start by submitting the online registration form or by picking up a paper form at Mason Public Library.
To take part in our local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, you must be a legal resident of Warren County, Ohio.
If your child’s address changes, you must notify the Warren County database manager in order to continue receiving books in the mail. To change your address, follow the prompts here or enter your zip code to receive your contact information for the Warren County database manager. You can find additional address change tips in the next section: “What should I do if my address changes?”
When your child receives their Imagination Library books, spend time reading together. For the highest impact, be sure to use the enrichment tips found on the back inside flap of each book to expand your child’s literacy skills.
What should I do if my address changes?
There are several ways to update your address with the Imagination Library if you move. We don’t want your child to miss a book! Books that go to the wrong address are not forwarded by the USPS.
If your child’s address changes, you must notify the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library or your county affiliate’s database manager in order to continue receiving books in the mail. To change your address, follow the prompts here or enter your zip code to receive your contact information for the Warren County database manager. You may email the database manager with the child(ren)’s name(s), the old address, and the new address.
You may also sign into your account at the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to make address changes. To do this, enter the email address you entered at reistration. If you do not recall your password or never set one up, then you should just request a password change. You can then choose a password and sign in to make changes to your address.
If you have filled out a change-of-address form with USPS, then the system will automatically notify our database manager of the new address so they can update the account.
Can I enroll if I don't live in Warren County?
You may still be eligible. If you’re not a resident of Warren County, Ohio, visit the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website to check if the program is also available in your area.
How can these books be free?
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
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. Countless parents have shared how excited their child is when their new book arrives each month. Many groups and individuals work hard behind the scenes to make that special moment possible for each child.
The 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 Governor’s Imagination Library
Governor and Mrs. Mike DeWine are determined that every child in Ohio have the gift of early childhood literacy. They became aware of the Imagination Library while reading to their grandchildren. As a result, Governor and Mrs. DeWine and local community leaders are creating county-wide programs in all of Ohio’s 88 counties.
In July 2019, the Ohio legislature included $5 million over the next two years to jump start the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library, providing matching funds to local dollars raised for the program. Over 60 Ohio counties have a limited form of the program. Few have county-wide program and Warren County is one of the first.
Warren County Imagination Library
The Warren County Imagination Library has been formed to move forward a county-wide effort to deliver books to all children from birth to age five. The theme of this program is “Every Child Reads Every Day”. Our goal is “20 for 20” — 20,000 books delivered to Warren County children in 2020.
This generational change started in early November 2019, when Commissioner Shannon Jones convened a group of Warren County leaders at the Warren County Foundation to learn about the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library. Within a few weeks, the five library districts decided to fund a three-year pilot program. The Warren County Literacy Fund has been established for this purpose.
During the pilot program, a permanent endowment campaign will raise $5 million to support the program forever. A nine-member governance team guides the process in Warren County.
Join the Biggest Civic Engagement in Warren County History
The founding partners include: Franklin-Springboro Public Library, Lebanon Public Library, Mary L. Cook Public Library, Mason Public Library, Salem Township Public Library, United Way of Warren County, and Warren County Foundation. Other partners are joining every day. For more information, direct questions or inquiries to: Warren County Imagination Library (Warren County Foundation), 118 East Main St., Lebanon, OH 45036 — 513-254-1001 or email: info@warrencountyfoundation.org
How can I support Warren County's Imagination Library program?
It only costs $25 to give a child the gift of Imagination Library books for a year. Your generosity will ensure Ohio’s children enter kindergarten ready to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Every dollar donated goes directly towards a child’s books, not administrative costs. You can direct your gift to any county in Ohio or the state general fund.
Donations to our local Imagination Library program can be made through the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library site when you designate your donation for Warren County. Donate today!
You may also mail your donation directly to: Warren County Foundation, P.O. Box 495, Lebanon, Ohio 45036
Why don't my kids receive their books on the same day?
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books are mailed in groups based on birth year. While each enrolled child in your household will get a new book every month, the books won’t arrive on the same day for children of different ages. They will often arrive on different days month by month also for any particular child.
Once your account is established, you can log in to the Parent Information Center to check your child’s status and see what books are set to be mailed each month and when.
When will my child receive books? Why do my children's books come on different days?
Eight to ten weeks after your registration form has been received, books will begin arriving at your home. Your child will continue to receive a new book in the mail every month until they turn five or move out of Warren County.
Penguin Random House specially prints Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library books every month, keeping program costs affordable. The different age groups’ books are mailed as they are ready, which varies from month to month. Your child(ren)’s books can arrive at any point in the month. Please contact us if you have not received a book in 8 weeks.
Once your account is established, you can log in to the Parent Information Center to check your child’s status and see what books are set to be mailed each month and when.
I have multiple children under 5. Will they each get a book?
Yes, each child will receive a book that is age appropriate. Each title is mailed separately to children of specific ages, so the books may arrive at different times during the month.
Once your account is established, you can log in to the Parent Information Center to check your child’s status and see what books are set to be mailed each month and when.
If I enroll my younger child, will they receive the same books that my older child did at that same age?
The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Book Selection Committee rotates approximately 25% of titles for each age group each year. Families who enroll multiple children and therefore receive some “repeat” books often choose to donate the duplicates back to Mason Public Library to give to children in our summer reading program or to use in our library. Other families donate the duplicates to homeless shelters, school libraries, and other nonprofits. Please remember to peel the mailing label from the back of the books before donating to protect your privacy.
My child stopped receiving books. What happened?
If your child recently turned five years old, they graduated from the program. Their last book should have been Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!
If you moved, please contact us and give us your new address. If your new address is still in Warren County, we can update the system and you should receive your next book at your new address in 6-8 weeks. If your new address is outside of Warren County, we will attempt to transfer your registration to an affiliate serving your new community.
Please contact us if neither of these are true and your child has not received a book in over a month.
I have twins. Will they each receive the same book every month?
Unfortunately, yes. Instead of receiving two identical books every month, families with twins should enroll both children as one. We can put both children’s names on the mailing label, so they will receive the gift together each month.