As of February 1, 2025, NEW registrations for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) of North Carolina will be limited to specific counties that have locally funded accounts.
Cabarrus County will continue the program using local funds.
Click here to contribute to our funding to continue accepting new Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library registrations in Cabarrus County.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library mails a free, age-appropriate book to children who reside in Cabarrus County and are between the ages of birth to 5.
Program Details
Cabarrus County’s DPIL program is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting specially-selected, high-quality books to participating young children every month starting with “The Little Engine That Could.” Thanks to funding from NC Smart Start, this program is free of charge for participating Cabarrus County children — all you have to do is enroll them!
Once your child is enrolled in the program, you can expect their first book to arrive in the mail in about eight weeks. A high-quality, age-appropriate book will be mailed to your child every month after that until they are five years old.
Email Lauren Westin, Cabarrus Partnership for Children’s Associate Director, with questions.
Our Focus
Health and Early Intervention
Early intervention and health are essential for child development. Timing is critical in order for children to fulfill their potential. A healthy start is vital to a child’s future!
Early Care and Education
Improves the quality of care for young children in local child care facilities, public schools, and church preschools.
Family Education and Support
Provides families with education, information, resources, and support so their children can have the best start at life.
How to Opt-in to Receive Bilingual English/Spanish Book Collection
New Enrollments
For new enrollments to the program, the online registration form will present the same language preferences that appear on the BOS profiles; Book Language and Communication Language.
Existing Enrollments
For existing enrollments with a parent email address on the profile, parents/guardians can log in to the BOS Parent Portal to make the change.
- Parents/Guardians go to www.imaginationlibrary.com/bos to login
- Click on the name of your child
- Select Book Language preference (see below)
- Click Update to save
Parent Resources
Please remember to email us here if your child is in the Cabarrus County program and has moved/changed addresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child qualify?
If your child resides in Cabarrus County and is under the age of 5 years old, then yes! They are qualified!
How do I register my child?
Click here to visit the registration page on Smart Start’s website.
Are there any shipping & handling costs?
No – DPIL is completely free to families, with no shipping or hidden fees.
Can I transfer my child’s DPIL account from Cabarrus County to a new county if I move?
If the county your child is moving to administers DPIL, you can change your address by logging in to your Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library account.
If your child is moving away from Cabarrus County, email us here to request that we change your address for you. Once this change is made, we will be able to transfer your registration over to the organization in the county you have moved to as long as they also administer DPIL.
