United Ways of the Pacific Northwest (UWPNW) and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) are thrilled to announce the statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, joined by world-class super star and philanthropist, Dolly Parton, who established the Imagination Library book gifting program in honor of her father in 1995.

In partnership with The Dollywood Foundation and this statewide expansion effort, books will be made available to children ages birth to five years old in every county in Washington. Washington has 30 operating affiliates covering portions of the 39 counties in Washington, and nearly 28,000 eligible children in the state are receiving books through these existing programs.

We believe investing in our youngest Washingtonian's literacy opportunities yields the greatest return. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library is a world-class program, proven to achieve equitable access to books, increased school readiness, fosters a love of books and improves family engagement in reading. This quality, turn-key program provides monthly books at no cost to families, building a rich home library and promotes a culture of reading and connection. Our goal is to expand and reach all Washington children ages birth to five years old, providing them with this powerful early learning tool.

How the Imagination Library Works   

Once your child is enrolled through your county affiliate, they will receive a free, age-appropriate, brand new book MAILED TO THEIR HOME every month until their fifth birthday. 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.

Dolly Parton's 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.