Welcome
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What is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library?
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (DPIL) is a local program operated by its official partner, the Rotary Club of Surprise & Sun City West. This initiative is dedicated to providing FREE books to children from birth to age five in the cities of Surprise and El Mirage, Arizona. Our mission is to inspire a love of reading by giving young children the tools they need to succeed.
Through the generous support from the Surprise & Sun City West Rotary Charitable Fund, the Rotary Club of Sun City Foundation, the Kellam Foundation, and individuals within the community, DPIL ensures families can access quality, age-appropriate books delivered to their homes monthly, free of charge.
How Does it Work?
The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a nonprofit program funded by the Dollywood Foundation in Sevierville, Tennessee, to promote early childhood literacy. Since its inception 30 years ago, the program has grown into a global initiative, helping millions of children develop a love of reading. Each book is carefully chosen by a Blue-Ribbon Book Selection Committee, a panel of early childhood literacy experts, who match the developmental needs of young readers, making reading an exciting and engaging experience for the whole family.
The Rotary Club is responsible for marketing the program, registering and approving children, and paying for the wholesale cost of the books and the nonprofit postal delivery. The total local cost amounts to approximately $31.20 per child per year. The Dollywood Foundation administers the program, which includes selecting and ordering the books, processing individual child registrations, and shipping books each month. This currently involves mailing out 3.2 million books each month to five different countries.
What Does the Program Do?
The DPIL program delivers one free book per month directly to the homes of registered children under five years of age. Each delivery is personalized with the child’s name and selected to match their age. The program makes it easy for families to create a reading routine without worrying about the cost. It encourages children to explore, imagine, and learn from the comfort of home.
Who Can Participate?
The Rotary Club of Surprise & Sun City West’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library serves all children ages 0 to 5 in Surprise and El Mirage, Arizona, potentially reaching 10,488 eligible children. Families of all income levels are welcome, and every eligible child can receive books, including siblings in the same household. Registration is free and simple.
How Can You Help?
1. If you have a child between the ages of 0 and 5 and you live in either Surprise or El Mirage, Arizona, please register online via Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. (Check Availability at https://imaginationlibrary.com)
2. Spread the word to your friends and neighbors about this amazing program brought to you by the Rotary Club of Surprise & Sun City West.
3. Finally, help fund this amazing program.
o The Rotary Club estimates that about 1,500 children will be registered within two years at a local cost of $31.20 per child—over $45,000 annually.
o You can support the DPIL program by sending a check to:
Surprise & Sun City West Rotary Charitable Fund,
P.O. Box 7248
Surprise, Arizona, 85374.
The Surprise & Sun City West Rotary Charitable Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Your donation may be tax deductible.
o Plan to attend the Rotary Club’s reinvented Taste of Surprise & Arts Festival on April 25, 2026 – a fundraiser dedicated to supporting Rotary’s DPIL program – at the Surprise Stadium.
For more information contact:
Rotary Club of Surprise & Sun City West
Ron Klaphake, DPIL Coordinator
218-255-3526 (cell/text)
ron@mylakeplace.net