IMAGINATION LIBRARY

Mahoning County

Our Work

ONE CHILD AT A TIME, ONE BOOK AT A TIME

IMAGINE if every child in Mahoning County entered school ready to learn and with a love of reading. The Imagination Library will help your child achieve that goal. The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley wants to put a book in every child’s hand from birth to age five at no cost. Through the Imagination Library, kids will receive a FREE age-appropriate book mailed directly to your home until they turn five years old. By getting on board with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the children will be able to lay the tracks for a promising future. Should the child move from Mahoning County, he/she will automatically exit the program. Our gift to your child is free books, your gift to them is the power to read. All families in Mahoning County with children from birth to age five are eligible to enroll.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR CHILD.

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?

  • Be a resident of Mahoning County.
  • Submit an official registration form, completely filled out by a parent or guardian (form must be approved and on file with the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley)
  • Notify United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley of ANY ADDRESS CHANGE. If you change your address you MUST notify the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley to continue receiving books.
  • Read with your child!

Imagination Library is a United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley initiative in partnership with the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.

PARENT EXPERIENCE

  • “I was introduced to ‘Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library’ through my work with the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley. When I got pregnant with my son Axl in 2014, I knew signing him up would be a top priority. I called during my first week home from the hospital in February 2015. This month, he received his final book after five years of participating in this amazing program through three different sponsors. The look of joy on his face every month when a book with HIS name on it would arrive in the mail was priceless. Every book is geared toward the child’s current age — from birth to kindergarten. He developed a love of language and reading from a early age thanks to his expanding home library at no cost to us. I know this will be a fond childhood memory but also last a lifetime as he continues to enjoy the books for years to come. When our second son was born in 2018, I also signed him up immediately. Knox is now 17 months old and loves receiving his own books — not hand-me-downs from big brother. Raising children is expensive and many times, even if the necessities are taken care of, educational tools are not affordable. To offer this program free to families sets children up for success as they enter school. We’re so grateful for DPIL and will continue to sing its praises. Thank you United Way for sponsoring this program in the Mahoning Valley and investing in children’s futures!”

    Erika Thomas

  • DOLLY PARTON'S IMAGINATION LIBRARY

  • THE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF YOUNGSTOWN AND MAHONING COUNTY