One high-quality book every month, from birth to age five, at no cost to you.
Berkeley and Emeryville/ZIP code 94608 children can be enrolled online
The button below will take you to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library website. Follow the steps on the ‘Check Availability’ page to enroll your child.
For residents of Richmond / San Pablo
Pick up a paper mail-in form from one of the locations below, or at one of our events.
Community Centers
Shields-Reid Community Center・1410 Kelsey St, Richmond, CA 94801・Open Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm
Nevin Community Center・598 Nevin Ave, Richmond, CA 94801・Open Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm
Parchester Community Center・900 Williams Dr, Richmond, CA 94806・Open Mon–Fri, 10am–6pm
Libraries
Richmond Main Library・325 Civic Center Pl , Richmond, CA 94804・Open Mon–Wed 10am–7pm, Thu–Fri 10am–5pm, Saturday 12–5pm
Bayview Branch Library・5100 Hartnett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804・Open Mon 10:30am–5pm, Tue 1:30–7pm, Wed–Thu 1–5pm
San Pablo Library・13751 San Pablo Ave, San Pablo, CA 94806・Open Mon–Tue 10am–8pm, Wed–Thu 10am–6pm, Fri–Sat 9am–5pm
Other Resources
Pogo Park’s Elm Playlot・720 Elm Ave, Richmond, CA 94801・Available when staffed
West County First 5 Family Resource Center・2707 Dover St, San Pablo, CA 94806・Open Mon–Fri 9am–5pm
Want to support online signups for Richmond & San Pablo children?
Parent Testimonials
We send annual surveys to parents to assess the benefits of the Program. These are just a small handful of the things they’ve said:
“We have loved all the books, and as parents were particularly moved by The Rabbit Listened. I'm a better parent for having read it.”
“Nos encantaron todos los libros y, como padres, nos conmovió especialmente El Conejo Escuchó. Soy un mejor padre por haberlo leído.”
“Les agradezco que tengan este progeama que beneficia a la comunidad. En especual a lis niñis y a sus familias. Gracias infinitas!!!”
“Thank you for having this program that benefits the community. Especially to the children and their families. Infinite thanks!!!”
“Some of their absolute favorite books have come from Imagination Library. Dolly’s I Am A Rainbow has been a longtime standout favorite.”
“Algunos de sus libros favoritos absolutos provienen de Imagination Library. El libro de Dolly Soy Un Arcoiris ha sido un favorito destacado durante mucho tiempo.”
FAQs
-
Any child under age five who lives in our service region. Children can be enrolled at any time beginning at birth up until three months prior to their fifth birthday.
-
You might still able to enroll through another Imagination Library partner. Go to Imagination Library’s ‘Check Availability’ page and input your information to find out if Imagination Library is available through another Imagination Library partner in your community.
-
First books arrive 6–10 weeks after successful registration. The first book is the same for all children: The Little Engine That Could. Following that, books are age-appropriate based on their birthdate.
-
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library hand-picks high-quality, age-appropriate literature and updates its list annually. Selections are guided by developmental themes and concepts. You can view the current book list here.
-
Book selections are based on year of birth, so your two little ones will get the same books. We still recommend registering both children. Infants may not notice or care, but toddlers will be delighted to see their name printed on the package each month, and allowing each child to build a personal library will help them establish a sense of ownership of their books. It will also save you from many arguments!
-
Imagination Library books are a gift to the child. While The BBBP and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library have operating costs, there is no cost to you.
-
The BBBP pays Imagination Library for books mailed to children we enroll. an all normal overhead costs of running a nonprofit: Rent, insurance, printing, outreach events, staff, etc. Starting in 2023 the State of California began paying part of our IL Book costs. All our funding comes from local donors: Individuals, grant makers, civic groups and businesses.
-
We’re funded by a combination of individual donors who donate once, monthly or annually. We also receive grants from local organizations whose values are aligned with ours. Organizations like ours are truly a public good and require the support of the community to continue.