About Imagination Library of Denver
Mission
Imagination Library of Denver’s (ILD) mission is to increase literacy in the Denver metro area by ensuring all young children may participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. ILD believes reading begins at birth, the benefits of a home library go far beyond the books, and parents/guardians are a child’s first and best teacher. By providing books at no cost to families, the Imagination Library increases childhood literacy rates, fosters a love of books, and promotes a culture of reading among underserved families in high-risk communities in Denver and beyond.
About
In 2015, Imagination Library of Denver (ILD) launched a pilot program with 30 children at Family Star Montessori. Since its creation, ILD has expanded into 100% of Denver's neighborhoods, providing coverage to all children ages 0 to 5 within all of Denver’s zip codes. Throughout just 8 years of operation, ILD has delivered 149,106 dynamic, diverse, and age-appropriate books and has graduated more than 2,912 students who exhibited kindergarten readiness based on assessments.
The importance of equitable access to early childhood books couldn’t have been emphasized more than when Governor Polis signed SB20-185 on July 10, 2020, creating a statewide Imagination Library (IL) program. This commitment to match every dollar raised for books throughout the state offers a significant incentive for the organization to work with local philanthropists, businesses and individual donors who can leverage the matched dollar to sustain the program.
How It Works
Every month, enrolled children receive a carefully selected, age-appropriate book in the mail completely free to their families! The books are a gift from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. ILD raises the local funds needed to mail those books to children across Denver. Thanks to Colorado's statewide partnership, every dollar donated locally is matched to help cover mailing costs, allowing your gift to go even further. Together, we're making sure thousands of Denver children can build a home library, one book at a time.
Who Pays For The Books?
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library selects and provides the high-quality, age-appropriate books that children receive each month.
ILD raises the local funds needed to mail those books to Denver children, ensuring every enrolled family receives their monthly delivery at no cost.
Colorado's statewide partnership matches every local dollar raised to help cover mailing costs, allowing community donations to go even further.
❤️ Your support keeps books arriving in Denver mailboxes every month, helping children build home libraries and develop a lifelong love of reading. Consider sponsoring a child's books - just $31 provides a full year of monthly book deliveries for one Denver child! DONATE HERE
Our Goals
Enroll all children
in Denver
Increase donations to
support all of Denver's
children 0- 5 years old
Increase kindergarten
readiness by providing
books to Denver children
