Reaching Children in Ohio’s Foster Care

Starting in August, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio will mail a free age-appropriate Imagination Library book each month to every child in Ohio's foster care between birth and five years olds. The book delivery will follow the child until his or her fifth birthday.

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will manage all child information, and update regularly. All personal data will be kept confidential, and will only be used to mail books to the child.

Moving forward, any child between birth and five years old entering foster care for the first time will automatically be enrolled by the department to receive a free monthly book. 

Please note: children who are not in foster care will have to complete the registration form at OhioImaginationLibrary.org. The program is available to all children in Ohio between birth-age five at no cost.

Foster care parents and foster care professionals do not need to register a child in foster care for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio.

Through a partnership with the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, every eligible child in Ohio's foster care will automatically be enrolled in the Imagination Library program.

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will manage all child information, and update regularly. All personal data will be kept confidential, and will only be used to mail books to the child.

All children in Ohio's foster care between birth and five years old will receive a free monthly book delivery from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. The books will follow the child, and will be mailed to the child’s current foster home. 

If a child moves, caregivers do not need to update any information. The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will update information so the book delivery will continue to follow the child. 

If you are receiving duplicate copies of Imagination Library books, this is because the child was signed up prior to this new partnership beginning. Please reach out to Debby@ohioimaginationlibrary.org to delete duplicate deliveries. 

Reading with young children has a huge impact! Reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity for enhancing a child’s language and development. We hope you enjoy reading together!

Plus, check out these 8 easy reading tips that can be used during your next story time!

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio would like to work with you to increase awareness about this free monthly book delivery, and help to inform foster parents. 

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will manage registration information for all eligible children in foster care, and update information monthly. All personal data will be kept confidential, and will only be used to mail the books to the child.

Moving forward, any child between birth and five years old entering foster care for the first time will automatically be enrolled by the department to receive a free monthly book.

Download the informational handout here.

Reading with young children has a huge impact! Reading aloud is widely recognized as the single most important activity for enhancing a child’s language and development.

A child's brain is 80% developed by the time he or she turns three years old. This is a critical time for children to build pre-literacy skills (knowledge of letters, numbers, reading left to right, turning pages). These skills are critical for beginning kindergarten. 

April 10, 2024

(COLUMBUS, Ohio)— At today’s State of the State Address, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced all eligible children between birth and age five in Ohio’s foster care system will automatically be enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio. Beginning this summer, all children in foster care will begin to receive a monthly book delivery at no cost. 

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will work with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio to ensure personal data of children and foster care parents continues to remain protected. This partnership will ensure a timely book delivery for all children in foster care, which is approximately 4,800 children in Ohio. 

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth will maintain the registration information for children in foster care to ensure up-to-date addresses. The department will update this information on a monthly basis. 

To watch Governor DeWine’s 2024 State of the State Address, please visit: OhioChannel.org. 

In Ohio, any child between birth and age five is eligible to receive a monthly book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio at no cost. To sign up, please visit: OhioImaginationLibrary.org/enroll. 

Download the informational handout here.

Are you a foster parent who is receiving duplicate books? Or no book? Contact Ohio's Imagination Library team at: Debby@ohioimaginationlibrary.org.