Do you have questions about enrolling in the Sonoma County Imagination Library?
Please scroll down to our FAQ’s, or reach out to First 5 Sonoma County at 707-522-2020 or email scil@first5sonomacounty.org.
Sonoma County Imagination Library
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library puts books into the hands and hearts of children across the U.S. and four other countries. The program partners with states and local communities to provide an age-appropriate, high-quality book each month to registered children from birth to age five. The books are mailed directly to children’s homes, FREE to families. There is NO obligation to donate to participate in the program.
To qualify for the program, you must live in Sonoma County and have a child that is 0-5 years old. Children can receive books up until their fifth birthday!
California is proud to be the first state to provide books in both English and Spanish! Children and their families have the option to choose to receive bilingual English/Spanish books. In 2023, California passed legislation to match 50% of the local cost for all books for five years.
Local organizations have been hard at work to make Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available to every child in Sonoma County! Of these organizations, First 5 Sonoma County is coordinating enrollment and will serve as a contact for families who sign up. Community Foundation Sonoma County is managing a centralized fund where donations are collected. Organizations across the county, from service clubs to local businesses, are working together to fundraise for this exciting opportunity.
About Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and Local Program Partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 2 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to enrolled children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading and inspiring children to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More®. The program has been widely researched and results demonstrate the positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Learn More
Is my child eligible? How do I register my child?
All Sonoma County children, from birth to age 5, are eligible to receive a free book delivered to their home each month until the child’s fifth birthday.
You can register online, or you can use a paper form, which you can download here and mail to First 5 Sonoma County, 5340 Skylane Blvd. Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
Do you have books in Spanish or other languages?
Yes! When you register your child, you will have the option to choose bilingual books in Spanish. California is the only state in the US to offer books in Spanish. At this time, there are no other languages available.
How long will it take for my child to receive their first book?
Book orders are placed on the first day of the month AFTER your completed registration form is entered into the database and approved. Once the order is placed, your child’s first book should arrive within 7-9 weeks. For example: If we receive your registration on June 15, you’ll be included in the July 1 book order. Your book will arrive by the last week of August. After that, the books will arrive approximately every 30 days, unless your address changes or your child ages out of the program.
When I received my “Congratulations” email confirming my child’s registration, I noticed that I can create an account with the Imagination Library. What does this do?
You don’t have to create an account for your child to receive books, but you can manage your child’s participation in the program online. You’ll be able to make address updates and see when books were mailed, as well as which titles.
We are moving to a new address within Sonoma County. What do we need to do to continue to receive books?
You’ll need to inform First 5 Sonoma County, who manages the Sonoma County Imagination Library’s database, of your new address: Call 707-522-2020 or email us at SCIL@first5sonomacounty.org. (Or, if you chose to create an online Imagination Library account when you registered for the program, you can update your address online.) Please also be sure to let the United States Post Office know that you’ve moved by completing the USPS Change of Address Form.
We are moving to a new address outside of Sonoma County. Can we still receive books?
You won’t be able to receive books through the Sonoma County program, but many other communities also offer Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. You can check this online through the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website.
My child is registered and had been receiving books, but now the books have stopped arriving. What happened?
If your child has been receiving books and the books have stopped coming for no apparent reason, or if the book for a particular month did not arrive, consider the list of possibilities below. If you can’t find a solution here, call First 5 Sonoma County at 707-522-2020 or email us at SCIL@first5sonomacounty.org.
Did your family move? If so, you’ll need to let First 5 Sonoma County know your new address: Call 707-522-2020 or email us at SCIL@first5sonomacounty.org. Please also be sure to let the United States Post Office know that you’ve moved by completing USPS Change of Address Form, which you can find at www.usps.com. This form should be completed if you are adding a newborn to your address, if a child with the same or different last name moves to your address, if you are a foster parent of a child living at your address, if there is a change in a child’s last name due to adoption or a parental name change, or if a new home is being built at a new address.
- If you have a P.O. Box, is your child listed to be on it?
- Does your family live in an apartment where the books are too large to fit in the mail slots? If so, have you received a USPS notice in your mailbox to pick the book up from your local post office?
- Did your child turn five? His last Imagination Library book will be delivered in the month of his fifth birthday.
One of my children got a book, but the other didn’t. What happened?
Books may arrive at different times of the month. After each child has received the first book, subsequent books should arrive by the last day of the month—but not necessarily on the same day.
I thought I signed up, but my child never received a book.
After your registration is processed, it can take 7–9 weeks for your first book to arrive. But after the first book is delivered, the books will arrive monthly unless your address changes or your child ages out of the program. Have you received a “Congratulations” email, confirming your Imagination Library registration? If not, there may have been an issue with your registration. Call First 5 Sonoma County at 707-522-2020 or email us at SCIL@first5sonomacounty.org.
My partner and I share custody of our child. Can she receive her Imagination Library books at both of our addresses?
You must identify one address at which your child will receive her Imagination Library books.
Who pays for these books?
There is NO COST to the children and families who receive books through the Imagination Library. The Sonoma County Imagination Library Advisory Board has built a coalition of donors and fundraisers who are supporting this program in our county, and the State of California provides a 50% funding match to subsidize program costs.
I have a question about my donation, or need a tax receipt.
For inquiries regarding a donation or tax receipt, please contact Community Foundation Sonoma County at invest@sonomacf.org.
Will my child’s information be shared with advertisers?
No. You and your child’s information will never be shared with advertisers. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library takes information security very seriously. We will not share it or use it for any purpose other than to communicate with you about the Imagination Library.
I love this program! Can I make a donation to help support it?
Absolutely. Community Foundation Sonoma County is holding the Sonoma County Imagination Library fund, and donations can be made directly through this donation page! Or, you can mail a check with “DPIL” in the memo line to Community Foundation Sonoma County, 120 Stony Point Drive Suite 220, Santa Rosa, CA. Be sure to include your email address with your check, so we can send you a tax receipt.
Who is serving on the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Sonoma County's Advisory Board?
Amy Holter, Community Foundation Sonoma County
Angela Ryan, Sonoma Valley Education Foundation
Angie Dillon Shore, First 5 Sonoma County
Beth Fox, Rotary Club of Sonoma Valley
Dana Pederson, Guerneville School District
Ellen Bauer, West County Health Centers
Julie Carter, Kiwanis Club of Cloverdale
Lara Magnusdottir, 4Cs Sonoma County
Matt Rogers, Early Learning Institute
Toni Abraham, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa
Other questions about the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library?
If you have any questions about signing up your child, issues receiving books, or anything else related to the Sonoma County Imagination Library, please reach out to First 5 Sonoma County at 707-522-2020 or email us at SCIL@first5sonomacounty.org.
If you have questions about your donation to the Sonoma County Imagination Library, please reach out to Community Foundation Sonoma County at invest@sonomacf.org.
If you’d like to learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, you can visit the website at this link.
Thank you for making this possible!
The Sonoma County Imagination Library was made possible through the generosity and hard work of donors, community members, and the following community organizations:
