‘Urgent appeal’ to help save Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

SPRINGFIELD-based Childhood Development Initiative has made an “urgent appeal” to the community as they prepare to take part in the first-ever Give Like Dolly Day on Friday.

CDI, based out of St Mark’s Youth and Family Centre on Fettercairn Road, is actively looking for sponsors to help save Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in Tallaght, a service it has operated since it was first introduced into the country in 2019 and noted their need for €8,000 per month to continue Dolly’s legacy and gift books to over 5,000 children or else they will be forced to close the service in Dublin 24.

The programme was initially set up in 1995 by Dolly Parton and mails free books to children from birth until they reach five years of age.

CDI funds the cost of running the operation, which exceeds €100,000 each year, and gifts 60 books to kids for the first 60 months of their lives.

The organisation’s CEO, Marian Quinn called for the support of “businesses, philanthropists and the wider community” to keep the book gifting programme founded by the late country music icon in the local area.

The CEO said: “Every month, over 5,000 local children receive a book through the Imagination Library. To keep that going, we need the support of businesses, philanthropists and the wider community to help us fund the continuation of this amazing programme.”

The Dollywood Foundation manages the programme infrastructure and book ordering system. An Post delivers books directly to children’s homes.

Since it was first launched, the programme has gifted more than 300 million books and currently mails over 3 million books each month across the world.

Led by The Dollywood Foundation, Give Like Dolly Day encourages individuals, businesses and communities to support local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library programmes and help more children experience the joy of reading.

More than 420,000 books have been delivered since 2019 in Dublin 24 through the programme – in 2025, 61,161 books were delivered.

The local organisation is looking for 12 sponsors to fund one month’s book deliveries each year at a cost of €8,000 per year for 3 years – the cost per book is estimated to be just over€1.50.

It stated that thousands of local children rely on the monthly books provided through the Imagination Library to support early language development, literacy skills, school readiness, and a lifelong enjoyment of reading.

“Give Like Dolly Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Dolly Parton’s extraordinary commitment to children while supporting a programme that is changing lives right here in Dublin 24.”