Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
I contacted someone to sign up before there was a program in Buncombe County. Why hasn’t my child ever received books?
Literacy Together became a Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library affiliate for Buncombe County in Nov. 2015. If you contacted someone (either here in our community or at Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library headquarters) about the program before Nov. 2015, you were not added to the waiting list because there was no program serving Buncombe County at that time. To be registered for the waiting list after Nov. 2015, you would have needed to fill out a registration form and returned it to Literacy Together.
If you would like to register your child for the program, please fill out the registration form and mail or email it to us. You will be added to the waiting list in the order in which we receive your registration. If you aren’t sure if you child is already on the waiting list, you may find out by emailing imaginationlibrary@lit-together.org.
I don’t live in Buncombe County. Can I sign my child up to receive books?
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library registrations are handled by local affiliates, like Literacy Together, who serve specified areas. Click here and enter your zip code to find out if there is a local affiliate serving your county/community.
I’m pregnant. Can I add my unborn child to the waiting list?
Yes! Just fill out the registration form with your due date and mail or email it to us. Then contact us when the baby is born with their actual birth date.
What happens if my child turns five while on the waiting list?
This happens occasionally when a child is almost five years old when added to the waiting list. We will contact you to find out your child’s special interests (characters, themes, subjects, etc.) and select 3-5 books from our library of donated new and lightly used children’s books for them. With your permission, we can even hand-deliver these books to your home!
I have twins. Will they receive the same book every month?
Unfortunately, yes. Instead of receiving two identical books every month, families with twins will 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. This allows Literacy Together to enroll an additional child from the waiting list to receive the second book.
My older child already receives books. If I enroll my younger child, will they receive the same books that my older child did?
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 Literacy Together to give to children on the waiting list. 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.
Why do my child’s books come at different times every month?
Why do my children receive their books on different days?
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.
We moved here and transferred our enrollment. Will my child receive the same books they received before we moved?
No. Each month, the book a child receives is determined based on their birthday. This ensures that children receive books that are appropriate for their age and developmental stage. It also means that one child should never receive the same book twice, even if they move!
How long does it take to receive my child’s first book once I have received the email that my child has been enrolled?
It can take 6-8 weeks after being enrolled to receive your child’s first book. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library processes the books about 6 weeks before mailing them because Penguin Books USA prints books specifically for this program every month. Here is a video that explains the process.
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 Buncombe 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 Buncombe 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.