What Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio does

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in August 2019 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. It operates as the Ohio state affiliate of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program founded by the Dollywood Foundation. The organization mails one free, age-appropriate book each month to enrolled children from birth until their fifth birthday, with the Dollywood Foundation providing book procurement and selection via its Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee, plus centralized mailing logistics. Ohio was among the first states to pilot a complete bilingual English/Spanish collection, and the program covers all 88 Ohio counties with a 70%+ enrollment rate of eligible children — the highest of any state nationally.

The organization operates with a very lean team of 1-10 employees and outsources core infrastructure to the Dollywood Foundation, while relying on a network of 70-75 local 501(c)(3) nonprofit program partners for community-level enrollment, fundraising, and outreach. Enrollment channels include direct website sign-up, every Ohio birthing hospital, WIC clinic reading spaces, public libraries, and automatic enrollment for approximately 4,800 children in foster care through the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. Additional touchpoints include 16 ODOT Storybook Trails at rest areas and 21 state park trails.

The funding model is collaborative: each book costs $2.20-$2.60 per month per child including postage, split 50/50 between local program partners and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio, with the Ohio state share funded by Ohio General Assembly appropriations. Supplemental revenue comes from corporate and foundation grants (CenterPoint Energy Foundation, CareSource, Franklin County Commissioners, Molina Healthcare), the Drive with Dolly specialty license plate ($25 per plate directed to the issuing county), individual donations, and consumer round-up campaigns at partner retailers. The program is entirely free for participating families, with 428,000+ children currently enrolled and more than 20.68 million books mailed since inception.

Name

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio

Legal name

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio

Website

https://ohioimaginationlibrary.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mails one free age-appropriate book each month to Ohio children from birth to age five, serving 428,000+ enrolled children across all 88 counties through 70-75 local nonprofit partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Early Childhood Literacy Program

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Library, Reading Motivation & Independent Reading Programs (EDAMAJAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Early Literacy & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAGAAAD), Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF), Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), Early Readers & Chapter Books Publishing (MPAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Early childhood literacy
• Book gifting program
• Children's reading program
• Nonprofit literacy services
• Kindergarten readiness

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Collaborative Book Cost Funding: Each book costs $2.20-$2.60 per month per child (including postage). Local program partners (501(c)(3) nonprofits in each county) pay 50% of the cost for books mailed in their region. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio matches the other 50%, funded by the Ohio General Assembly. This ensures the program is entirely free for participating families.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Corporate foundations and organizations provide grants to support book mailing. CenterPoint Energy Foundation granted $125,000 to mail 113,636 books in western Ohio. CareSource employees raised $135,025. Franklin County Commissioners provided $150,000 to cover mailing of 115,384 books. Donors can designate gifts to specific counties.
3. Specialty License Plate Sales: Ohio's Dolly Parton specialty license plate is available for purchase at deputy registrar agencies and online. $25 from each plate purchase goes to support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio, specifically benefiting the local program in the county where the plate was purchased. A single plate purchase covers the cost of mailing one child's books for an entire year (12 books).
4. Individual Donations: Individual donors can make contributions at OhioImaginationLibrary.org/donate, with donations designated to specific counties. A $31 gift covers one child's books for a year (12 books), $62 covers two children, and $93 covers three children.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that mails a free, age-appropriate, high-quality book each month to enrolled Ohio children from birth through age five, regardless of family income. The program is delivered through a coordinated network of 70–75 local program partners serving all 88 Ohio counties, with about half of operating support sourced from the Ohio General Assembly and half from local partners, donors, and sponsors.

Product overview

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio is a free book gifting program that operates as a single, unified offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the Monthly Book Delivery Program, which mails one age-appropriate book each month to enrolled children from birth until age five. This core is augmented by several complementary sub-products: the Bilingual English/Spanish Book Collection option that families can select during enrollment; Book Guides developed by the Ohio Department of Children and Youth to enhance reading sessions; Storybook Trails at Ohio State Parks that combine outdoor activity with literacy promotion; WIC Clinic Reading Spaces at health clinics; and the Drive with Dolly specialty license plate as a fundraising mechanism. All offerings are free to families and funded through a collaborative approach involving the Ohio General Assembly, local nonprofit program partners, and the Dollywood Foundation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monthly Book Gifting Program (Core Imagination Library Program) A free, statewide book-gifting program that mails one age-appropriate, high-quality book per month to enrolled children from birth until age five, funded through state appropriations and local program partners and open to every Ohio child regardless of income.
• Bilingual English/Spanish Book Collection An Ohio-branded extension of the Imagination Library that provides bilingual English/Spanish titles so Spanish-speaking families receive books in both languages each month.
• Book Guides Companion literacy guides that accompany monthly Imagination Library books to help caregivers and parents engage children more deeply with each title.
• Storybook Trails Outdoor, walkable literacy installations deployed in Ohio communities that pair pages from a featured Imagination Library book with corresponding stops along a public trail, encouraging family reading outdoors.
• WIC Clinic Reading Spaces Dedicated Reading Spaces inside Ohio WIC clinics where families can read Imagination Library titles on-site and enroll their eligible children in the monthly book program.
• Drive with Dolly Specialty License Plate An Ohio specialty license plate whose proceeds benefit Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio, providing supporters a way to fund the book-gifting program through vehicle registration.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,680,284 Imagination Library books mailed to Ohio children since August 2019
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• Mickey's Convenience StoresminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2026Micky's Convenience Stores in 11 Ohio counties (Ashland, Crawford, Erie, Huron, Lorain, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Tuscarawas, and Wyandot) launched a round-up campaign through September 30, 2026. Customers can round up their purchase by $1.30 or to the nearest dollar to support the Imagination Library. Every cent stays local, directly benefiting children in the community where each store is located.
• Tomtreyco McDonald'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 July 2025Tomtreyco McDonald's hosted the annual Burgers for Books event at 42 McDonald's locations across Ohio on Thursday, April 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, raising awareness and funds for the Imagination Library.
• Molina Healthcare of OhiominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2025Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine hosted a book reading at the Logan-Hocking Country District Library with Ami Cole, plan president of Molina Healthcare of Ohio, to celebrate ongoing support for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Southeast Ohio.
• Ohio Library CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2024The Ohio Library Council (OLC) teamed up with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio to celebrate National Library Card Sign-up Month. Libraries across Ohio serve as enrollment touchpoints and host Imagination Library events, graduation ceremonies, and book readings, extending the program's community reach.
• Ohio Department of Children and YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2024In April 2024, Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Children and Youth would automatically enroll all children in Ohio's foster care (birth to age 5) in the Imagination Library. The department manages all child information, updates addresses monthly, and ensures books follow the child to their current foster home. Approximately 4,800 children in foster care are served.
• Ohio Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 April 2024Literacy experts at the Ohio Department of Health developed Book Guides to assist caregivers in maximizing shared reading opportunities. These guides complement the inside cover of each Imagination Library book. The department also partnered to create reading spaces at WIC clinics across Ohio.
• Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 November 2023Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine and Colonel Christopher Meeker announced a partnership between Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. WPAFB is one of the first Imagination Library partnerships with a military installation in the country, serving 35,000 military, civilian, and contractor families. The base distributes program information through child development centers, pediatric clinics, and the Airman and Family Readiness Flight program.
• Dollywood FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The Dollywood Foundation, founded by Dolly Parton in 1988, is the parent organization of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. It provides the book selection (via the Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee), manages the mailing infrastructure, and matches 50% of book costs for Ohio's program. The Imagination Library has expanded to five countries under the Foundation's leadership.
• Local Program Partners (70-75 nonprofit organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 201970-75 local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations across Ohio's 88 counties serve as local program partners, administering the program at the county level. Each partner covers 50% of book costs in their assigned region, builds local community partnerships, raises funds, and promotes enrollment. Partners include United Way chapters, library foundations, children's hospitals, and community foundations.
• Dayton's Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Dayton Children's Hospital serves as the local program partner for Montgomery County, one of Ohio's most populous counties. Dayton Children's covers 50% of local book costs and promotes enrollment across the county, helping Montgomery County achieve 63% enrollment of eligible children.
• Cincinnati Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Cincinnati Children's Hospital serves as the local program partner in Hamilton County. The hospital partnered with Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, who hosted Imagination Library book readings to encourage enrollment.
• Nationwide Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Nationwide Children's Hospital serves as the local program partner for Franklin County. With a $150,000 grant from Franklin County Commissioners, Nationwide Children's Hospital covers local book costs for 115,384 books. Franklin County has 45,223 children enrolled (52% of eligible children).

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reading Is Fundamental (RIF): Long-standing national children's literacy nonprofit focused on book access and ownership. Comparable in mission (equitable book access, early literacy) though delivery model is event-based rather than monthly mail.
• First Book: National nonprofit that distributes free or low-cost books to children from low-income families via schools and programs. Comparable mission of book access for underserved children, with a B2B distribution model through educators.
• Reach Out and Read: National nonprofit that gives free books to young children at pediatric well-child visits. Highly comparable mission (early childhood literacy via book distribution through healthcare touchpoints) and similar reliance on healthcare provider partnerships.
• PJ Library: Jewish book gifting program that mails free age-appropriate books monthly to children ages 0–8 nationwide. Closest direct analog in terms of monthly mail-based book gifting model, age-appropriate curation, and family engagement strategy.
• Imagination Library of Tennessee: Another U.S. state Imagination Library chapter operating under the same Dollywood Foundation model with similar funding (state + local match), enrollment mechanics, and book delivery operations. Closest functional peer to Ohio by structure.

Regional players

• BookTrust (UK): UK-based children's reading charity that provides free books to children, including targeted programs for babies and disadvantaged families. Comparable book-gifting mission in a different geography.
• Imagination Library of Kentucky: Another U.S. state Imagination Library chapter — comparable in operations but serving a different geography. Useful as a benchmark for chapter-level performance and state appropriation models.

Others

• Little Free Library: Nonprofit that builds small free book-sharing boxes in communities nationwide. Different distribution model (take-a-book, leave-a-book) but adjacent mission of expanding book access in early childhood communities.

Broad incumbents

• Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (National / Dollywood Foundation): National parent organization that runs the Imagination Library across five countries. It owns book curation (Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee) and mailing infrastructure, and matches 50% of Ohio's book costs — the closest structural analog to DPIL Ohio as the umbrella program.

Emerging players

• Raising A Reader: National early literacy nonprofit that partners with libraries, schools, and childcare providers to rotate book bags to children. Comparable mission around kindergarten readiness through parent-child book engagement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ImaginationOhio
• Facebookfacebook.com/OhioImaginationLibrary
• Instagraminstagram.com/imaginationohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ohio-imagination-library

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio