Enroll Your Child

Parents or guardians can enroll children under age five online or by submitting a paper form:

• Register Online at the Imagination Library

• Download Registration Form (English)

• Download Registration Form (Spanish)

Delivery & Shipping

• Please allow 8–12 weeks for your child's first book to arrive.

• Books for children of different ages within the same household may arrive on different days.

• Important: Books will not be forwarded by the Post Office if you move. Please visit our [FAQ section] for instructions on updating your address so your child continues receiving books.

Eligibility

To participate through United Way of Southwest Minnesota's sponsorship, children must live in one of the following school districts:

• Canby, Dawson/Boyd, Echo, Fulda, Ivanhoe, Lake Benton, Lakeview, Lynd, Marshall, Milroy, Minneota, Murray County Central, Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, Tracy Area, Westbrook-Walnut Grove, and Yellow Medicine East.

• I have been involved with this program through all 3 of my children (5, 3, 1) and they look forward to their book coming every month. It gets them very excited to learn and read! They even take turns reading to each other. They live that they get this in the mail!! Thank you!!
• I have received Imagination Library books since my oldest daughter, and she turns 15 this year! I have 3 other little ones that have received books and just love when they come in the mail! Thank you!!
•  I’ve admired this program in college during my internship with United Way and again when my son was born, it’s an invaluable tool for young minds!
•  My kids have loved receiving their new books each month! It’s a great chance for us to sit down and read as a family!
•  My oldest (2.5 years) gets SO excited when he receives a new book in the mail! He looks forward to it every month! We love this program & are so thankful for it!!
• My toddlers and I look forward to books in the mail. Each time we open the mailbox I hear, "did we get a new book?!" This program has made our home library grow tremendously! A couple of our current favorites are: Good Morning Farm Friends, Little Excavator, and Milo's Hat Trick! When we get duplicates we pack them up and leave at Grandma's for all the cousins to enjoy (they are not in our service area and wish they had access to the program!). Thank you UWSM & IL!!!
• Our kid loves it! Most of them have become their favorite books! Great addition to have some bilingual books!
• Some of our family's favorite books have come from the Imagination Library. Having books in the home is so important. My youngest took a little while to become more interested in reading but having access to the bookshelf really helps. He finds his favorites and we read them again and again.
• The kids get very excited when they see a book come in the mail with their name on it! The titles sent are fun, appropriate and well written.
• This is an AMAZING program that I’m so thankful for as a parent and teacher!!   I know many of the kooks my students have at home are because of this program!!    Thank you so much!!
• This is an incredibly valuable program to every family. It gives all children access to learning and gives parents and easy opportunity to sit down with their children and READ! Our family has greatly benefited from this program.
• We are so thankful for these books!! Thank you!!

1.  We receive duplicate books for our younger child. How can this be avoided?

Because book selections are tailored to specific age groups, receiving duplicate titles for younger siblings cannot be avoided. While new titles are introduced each year, families with multiple enrolled children will receive some matching books over time.

If you prefer not to receive duplicate copies, you can opt to register only one child at a time. Otherwise, we encourage families to build a personal library for each child, keep extra copies at a grandparent’s or daycare, or donate duplicates to local charities!

2.  My child hasn't received a book this month, or my children receive theirs at different times. Why is that?

Books are shipped directly by the Dollywood Foundation throughout the month—not from the local United Way office—so arrival dates vary. Children in the same household will likely receive their books on different days. Because books are shipped via bulk mail, delivery schedules can also fluctuate.

If you miss a monthly book, please review these quick troubleshooting steps:

• Check the mailing label: Verify the address on the last book received. If anything is incorrect, contact United Way of Southwest Minnesota to update it.

• Update your address if you moved: The Post Office will not forward Imagination Library books. Contact us immediately with your new address so deliveries can resume.

• Confirm the delivery month: Look at the label text—"[Month]'s personal gift for:"—to see which month's book was shipped. While your child should receive a book each month, sometimes it doesn't arrive in the expected month, and your child may receive their July book in early August. 

• Contact your local Post Office: If your address is correct and you haven't moved, check with your local mail carrier or post office. Make sure your child’s name is registered as a resident at your address.

3.  How do I update our address if we are moving?

Please update your address with us as soon as possible. Please allow 6–8 weeks for books to begin arriving at your new address.

You can update your address using any of these options:

• Contact Us: Email us at unitedway@unitedwayswmn.org with your child’s name and your new address.

• Online Form: Complete the "Update Address" form located at the bottom of this page.

• Parent Account: Log into your child’s online Imagination Library account (if you originally registered online with an email address) to update your mailing address directly.

4.  I signed up, but we haven't received our first book yet. How long does it take?

It takes 8–12 weeks from the date you register for your child’s first book to arrive. If it has been more than 12 weeks since you enrolled and you haven't received a book, please email us at unitedway@unitedwayswmn.org so we can check your account.

(For ongoing monthly delivery questions, please see "My child hasn't received a book this month" above.)

5. Who funds the Imagination Library program in our community?

United Way of Southwest Minnesota is proud to sponsor the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for children in our service area! While the program is completely free to local families, UWSWMN covers the cost of every book and its delivery. Last year, we invested over $64,000 to deliver free, high-quality books to more than 2,100 local children each month.

We sponsor this program because we believe early childhood literacy builds the foundation for a lifetime of success.

• Want to help a local child build their home library? A gift of just $42 sponsors one child's enrollment for a full year ($3.50 per month)! If you would like to support the program, you can donate online with a credit card [CLICK HERE TO DONATE] and write in Imagination Library in the memo or mail a check to United Way of Southwest Minnesota, P.O. Box 41, Marshall, MN 56258.

6. We just moved. Will our Imagination Library books be forwarded to our new address? 

Books are mailed bulk rate and therefore cannot be forwarded, even if you set up forwarding mail with the post office. If you are moving, or have moved, please update your address with the form below or by contacting unitedway@unitedwayswmn.org. 

If you are moving soon, or have already moved, and your child is registered for the Imagination Library book program through United Way of Southwest Minnesota, please fill out and submit the following form asap.