Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Rochester and Monroe County, NY

Donate
Donate

We mail free, high-quality books each month to the homes of children from birth to age five.

  • Stack of Imagination Library books

    Support.

    Children enrolled in the Imagination Library are more likely to start school ready to learn.

    You can send a child a brand-new, high-quality book every month for a full year. That’s 12 books — and a lasting impact on their future.

    Your support doesn’t just maintain the program. It helps expand it — reaching more children across Monroe County and beyond.

    All donations are tax-deductible and directly support local children.

    Donate today and help put books into more homes.

    Donate
  • A woman and a young girl reading a book together on the carpet in a living room.

    Sign up.

    We’re putting books into the hands of Rochester’s youngest learners — one mailbox at a time.

    Since launching in 2021, more than 4,600 children have enrolled, with over 100,000 books mailed to local families.

    If you live in Monroe County and have a child under five, you can sign up today to receive a free, age-appropriate book every month.

    Enroll now and start building your child’s home library.

    Enroll

Why We’re Worth It

The Imagination Library works wonders on kindergarten readiness and early literacy. But don’t take our word for it. Check out the scalable model, thrifty operations, and peer-reviewed outcomes research to learn more about the impact we can have together.

  • Collection of cartoon brains exercising, lifting weights, running on treadmill, reading, and resting, all with cheerful expressions.

    Validated

    Peer-reviewed studies have repeatedly demonstrated that children enrolled in the Imagination Library are much more likely to arrive to kindergarten ready to learn.

    Evidence
  • A set of seven traditional Russian nesting dolls, called Matryoshka, arranged from smallest to largest on a white surface against a plain wall.

    Scalable

    Thanks to the power of an efficient national organization that provides logistical know-how, we can rapidly expand throughout Rochester and Monroe County as soon as we have the funds.

    How It Works
  • A red car filled with books on the roof, set against a background with blue clouds and a yellow landscape.

    Convenient

    Effective interventions change habits by lowering barriers. When we mail books directly to the home, we provide high-quality resources without imposing demands on families.

    Who We Are
United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes logo

Teamwork makes the dream work.

The Rochester chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the proud partner of United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, a stellar 501(c)3 that serves as our fiduciary agent.