Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

Three images. One woman holding a child, another presenting a tote bag saying "I read to my child." A booth for the Imagination Library. A toddler reading a picture book.

 

 

Imagination Library has a 60-volume set of books beginning with the children’s classic The Little Engine That Could, then each month after a new, carefully selected book will be mailed. After launching in 1995, the program grew quickly.

In 2016, New Mexico set out to have a statewide program that would allow every New Mexican child birth to age five begin the love of reading. New Mexico created legislation and allocated $100,000 to the statewide initiative, administered by the SWNMCOG.

Currently, New Mexico has an Imagination Library affiliate in every county; however, only 29 of the 33 counties participate in the statewide reimbursement program.