Youth Education
We have partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to put books into the hands and hearts of children across the community. We
provide age-appropriate, high-quality books each month to registered
children from birth to age five.
Help Support
Minnesota children’s literacy levels are steadily declining. Help us with this fight and donate now.
Every donation no matter the amount can make a difference to a child.
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$2.60 guarantees a child books for a month
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$16 guarantees a child books for 6 months
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$32 guarantees a child books for a year
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$156 guarantees a child books for 5 years
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to start receiving books?... Dolly Parton's Imagination Library mails out books to almost 3 million children a month. They 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.
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 Sherburne County Area United Way at 763-276-1259 to find out more information, but it does take 8-12 weeks for books to start arriving after approval.
I have twins, do they receive the same books each month? Dolly Parton's Imagination Library books are mailed out by age group. Every child born in the same year receives the same books, appropriate for their age. Twins will receive the exact book each month. However, because the books are addressed to each child, they will both have built their own library of quality books when they graduate from the programs.
I’m moving, what do I need to do? When planning a move, please contact Sherburne County Area United Way and provide them with your new address. To find your new local affiliate, visit the website below. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that the program will be available in your new neighborhood. USA: 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 2023 will receive board books with minimal text focusing on nurture and attachment, whereas a child born in 2018 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.
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.
Do you offer 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/
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Sponsors
