FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
09.21.2026
Press Contact: Ashley Littleton
Charles County Public Library
301.452.4065
alittleton@ccplonline.org
CHARLES COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY INVITES COMMUNITY TO “GIVE LIKE DOLLY” ON SEPTEMBER 25
More than 153,000 books have been sent to local children through the Imagination Library of Charles County.
(Charles County, MD) Charles County Public Library (CCPL) is inviting the community to Give Like Dolly on September 25 and help put books into the hands of children throughout Charles County.
The first Give Like Dolly Day is a new annual tradition created by The Dollywood Foundation to honor Dolly Parton’s generous heart and lifelong commitment to children. Communities around the world are being encouraged to support their local Imagination Library programs and help carry forward Dolly’s vision of inspiring children to dream big and develop a lifelong love of reading.
Each month, 3,513 local children receive a free, high-quality book through the Imagination Library of Charles County. Since the local program began, 6,996 children have been registered, and 153,266 books have been mailed to children throughout the community.
The average cost to provide and mail one of those books is $2.60, meaning a gift of $32 can help provide an entire year of books for one child.
“Dolly Parton’s vision has always been about giving children the opportunity to dream, learn, and discover the joy of reading,” said KennethWayne Thompson, Executive Director of Charles County Public Library. “Through the Imagination Library of Charles County, our community has embraced that vision and helped put thousands of books into the hands of local children. Give Like Dolly Day is an opportunity to celebrate that impact and help ensure the next generation of young readers continues to benefit from this program.”
Launched locally in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association (SMRLA), the Imagination Library of Charles County provides high-quality, age-appropriate books to local children at no cost to their families. The program continues to grow with support from the Citizens for the Charles County Public Library (C4CCPL) and donations from local businesses, organizations, and individuals.
Give Like Dolly in Charles County
Community members can support the Imagination Library of Charles County by donating directly through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
To give to a local program, select “I would like to designate this donation to a specific Imagination Library Local Program Partner,” followed by United States and MD-Charles County.
Donate to the Imagination Library of Charles County here.
Community members are also encouraged to share how they Give Like Dolly using #GiveLikeDolly. Give Like Dolly Day will be celebrated annually on September 25.
About Charles County Public Library
The Charles County Public Library creates opportunities for our community to engage, discover, and learn. CCPL consists of four library branches, a Mobile Library, the Discovery Lab, a 24-Hour Library Kiosk at the Nanjemoy Community Center, and a location inside the Charles County Detention Center. CCPL has over 80 full- and part-time employees. Our branches house over 200,000 volumes of printed materials, audiobooks, films, and other documents. We also have an online branch at www.ccplonline.org, where we regularly add new resources. Currently, over 75,000 county residents hold library cards, and this number continues to grow daily.
About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Launched in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is the world’s leading early childhood book-gifting program and the flagship initiative of The Dollywood Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Since its founding, the program has gifted more than 300 million free books to children across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
Each month, the Imagination Library mails over 3 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes. Every enrolled child receives one book per month from birth to age five, at no cost to families.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly created the Imagination Library in her hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee, to inspire a love of reading from the earliest years. In true Dolly fashion, she soon shared that dream with other communities that wanted to give their children the same opportunity to Dream More, Learn More, Care More, and Be More.
The Imagination Library’s impact has been widely studied, with research consistently showing positive effects on early childhood development, kindergarten readiness, and family reading habits.
For more information, visit imaginationlibrary.com.
About the Citizens for the Charles County Public Library, Inc. (C4CCPL)
Citizens for the Charles County Public Library, Inc. (C4CCPL) is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and support for the Charles County Public Library system. With community support, they help the library in many of its endeavors. C4CCPL sponsors activities, raises funds, and promotes the library as a cultural, educational, informational, and recreational asset to Southern Maryland. Funds raised through these activities help supplement the library’s budget by purchasing items not included in Charles County’s operating budget. Learn more at https://ccplonline.org/about/citizens-for-charles-county-public-library/.
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