Dolly Parton Imagination Library logo

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program mails free, high-quality, age-appropriate books to registered children (who must reside in the City or Town of Poughkeepsie) every month from birth up to their fifth birthday. Each book is addressed to them, creating a special moment of discovery and fostering a lifelong love of reading. This program is generously sponsored by the Friends of the Poughkeepsie Public Library District and the New York Department of Education.

Register Your Child

Together, with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, we’re making it easy to bring the joy of reading to your home! Follow these simple steps to register your child:

Step 1: Check Eligibility

  • Your child must be under five years of age.
  • Your child must reside within the City or Town of Poughkeepsie. PPLD verifies addresses using Dutchess County’s Parcel Access. The “Municipality” must match either “Poughkeepsie” or “Poughkeepsie – City” to qualify for this program.

Step 2: Gather Required Information

You’ll need the following information to complete the registration:

  • Your child’s full name
  • Your child’s date of birth
  • Your full name
  • Your mailing address
  • Your email address
  • Your phone number

Step 3: Register

  1. Visit the official Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website.
  2. Enter your zip code.
  3. If the program is available in your area, click “Continue”.
  4. Follow the prompts to fill out the online registration form with the information gathered in Step 2.
  5. Submit your application.

Step 4: Check Your Email

If you don’t receive an email within two weeks from the Dolly Parton Imagination Library or PPLD staff, please email dolly@poklib.org.

FAQs

Any child under five years of age. Your child must reside within the City or Town of Poughkeepsie. PPLD verifies addresses using Dutchess County’s Parcel Access. The “Municipality” must match either “Poughkeepsie” or “Poughkeepsie – City” to qualify for this program.

Nothing! The books are a gift from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Poughkeepsie Public Library District. This program is generously sponsored by the Friends of PPLD with the support of the New York State Department of Education. The cost is covered for shipping each book to your child’s home.

After successful registration, it typically takes 6 to 9 weeks for your child’s first book to arrive. After that, books will be mailed monthly.

Books are mailed monthly. If you have not received a book for your child in 8 weeks or more, please email dolly@poklib.org. It’s also crucial to ensure your mailing address is always up-to-date.

It’s very important to update your address immediately if you move within the City or Town of Poughkeepsie. Books cannot be forwarded by the post office. You can typically update your address through your parent account on the Imagination Library website, or by emailing dolly@poklib.org. If your child moves outside of the City or Town, you will no longer receive books.

Your child will continue to receive books until their fifth birthday. Their final book will be a special one, often Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come!

Yes! Each eligible child in your household can be registered and will receive their own books. Please note that twins will receive the same book each month, but the book selection committee does rotate titles annually to provide variety for families with multiple children enrolled at different times.

Books are selected based on the child’s age, so all children born in the same year will receive the same books for that age group. The Imagination Library Book Selection Committee rotates approximately 25% of the titles for each age group annually to keep the program fresh.

Dolly Parton and The Dollywood Foundation generously provide the books and handle much of the administrative costs. The Poughkeepsie Public Library District, the Friends of PPLD, and a grant from the NYS Department of Education are responsible for securing the funds to cover the shipping costs of the books to children in our community.

Yes, many families with multiple children or those who receive duplicates choose to donate them. Please remember to peel off the mailing label to protect your privacy before donating back to the Friends of PPLD.