Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books for kids, to launch Sept. 7 in Adams County

QUINCY — The United Way of Adams County will launch Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library for Adams County with a special event from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 7, at the Quincy Public Library.

The library tries to inspire a love of reading in children up to age 5 with free books. Children enrolled with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will receive one new, age-appropriate book in the mail each month from birth until the child’s fifth birthday at no cost to the family, creating a personal library of as many as 60 books that can help form the foundation of a child’s early reading experience.

Parton launched her Imagination Library in honor of her father, who could not read or write, so no child would grow up unable to read. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation is an international book-gifting program that operates in five countries, gifts more than three million books each month and has gifted more than 240 million books since inception. 

“We’re excited that the DPIL provides quality literature every month for every single registered child,” Jenna Hull, executive director at United Way of Adams County, said in a press release. “The research is clear. Childhood literacy is dependent on early and sustained exposure to books and reading.”

Adams County residents interested in learning more about registering for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library should visit https://www.unitedwayadamsco.org/ or contact the United Way of Adams County at 217-222-5020.