My First Bookshelf is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization affiliated with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. It is incorporated in Virginia but serves children in Penobscot County, Maine, where its  founder grew up. My First Bookshelf approves pending registrations and pays for all of the Imagination Library books delivered monthly to children in its coverage area. It also helps troubleshoot issues with the Imagination Library’s online Book Ordering System. Books are mailed monthly from the Imagination Library’s facility in Dolly’s home state of Tennessee.

There are two ways to register your child – either with a paper form or online. 

The online method is preferred. Log into Dolly Parton’s Imagination library at https://imaginationlibrary.com/. Once on the Imagination Library site, click “Check Availability.” The site will prompt you for your child’s zip code. After typing in the zip code, the state dropdown will say “Maine,” and you will click the “Choose Your City” dropdown to select your town/city. Once you select your town/city, the county will automatically be populated with “Penobscot.” Click on “Check,” which will take you to the next widow. Clicking “Continue” will take you to the next window where you will fill out the registration form.

The arrival of your first book will depend on which day of the month you registered. For example, the Book Ordering System runs its monthly updates at the beginning of the month for book deliveries in the following month. If you register after the update, you will receive your book in the second month after registering.

The beauty of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is that there is no cost to register children. Nonprofit affiliates, like My First Bookshelf, pay for the books. My First Bookshelf does accept donations at https://myfirstbookshelf.com/. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library uses a well-established Book Ordering System that has been around for many years. My First Bookshelf approves local registrations and helps troubleshoot system issues, but does not maintain a separate system or database.

My First Bookshelf contact information is located on the Imagination Library website. Feel free to call, text or email with any questions.

Each year, an esteemed Blue Ribbon Book Selection Committee, a specially selected panel of early childhood literacy experts, is responsible for reviewing hundreds of potential titles for inclusion in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

All books are published by Penguin Random House. The Imagination Library does not accept unsolicited manuscripts, independently published books or books from other publishers for review.

My First Bookshelf accepts donations at https://myfirstbookshelf.com/. We also receive grants from charitable organizations.

The arrival of your first book will depend on which day of the month you registered. For example, the Book Ordering System runs its monthly updates at the beginning of the month for book deliveries in the following month. If you register after the update, you will receive your book in the second month after registering.