Orange County may soon join other Virginia communities in offering Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to its youngest residents. A newly formed nonprofit, Orange County Books and Beyond, is leading the effort to bring the program to local families.

Orange County Books and Beyond is a 501(c)(3) organization created by a small group of community members focused on early childhood literacy. The organization’s goal is to make Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library available to children in Orange County from birth through age five. Once launched, enrolled children will receive one free, age appropriate book each month by mail at no cost to families.

“This is the first time the program will be available in Orange County,” said Deanne Marshall of Orange County Books and Beyond. “While other Virginia localities participate, Orange County did not previously have a sponsoring organization to make it available here.”

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is designed to support early literacy and school readiness by ensuring that children have books in their homes before entering kindergarten.

“The program will serve as the earliest and most foundational part of the literacy pipeline in Orange County,” Marshall said. “Books in the home before children enter school give them the strongest start possible and support parents and caregivers as their child’s first teachers.”

Funding remains the primary hurdle before enrollment can begin. According to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library cost calculator, serving all children under age five in Orange County would cost approximately $40,000 annually. That figure represents the long term goal. For now, organizers are focused on securing founding donors and annual community partners to launch the initial phase.

The Orange Rotary Club and the Orange County Education Foundation have each contributed $2,000 as founding donors and community partners. Marshall noted that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a Rotary supported initiative and that the Orange Rotary Club played a key role in advancing the effort locally. The Orange County Education Foundation, which supports scholarships, career and technical education programs, and teacher grants throughout the county, joined as an early partner. Its support reflects what organizers describe as a shared belief that literacy development must begin well before formal schooling.

Additional community support is still needed before the program can officially begin enrolling children. Organizers are seeking founding donors, annual contributors, and child sponsors. Local businesses, civic groups, churches, and individuals may all participate.

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