Through the Imagination Library, Manchester children ages 0–5 are able to receive 12 books a year mailed to their home for free.

submitted by Shannon Brown, Manchester’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library

Did you know that any child who lives in the zip code 48158 can receive a book free in the mail until they turn 5? Manchester is part of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and we have grown since first accepting applications in 2018.

This program runs on donations. Although the very kind and generous Dolly Parton started this program and has built it up so it is very affordable for the affiliates, each affiliate needs to raise its own funds to operate. It costs roughly $25 per child per year. We currently have 146 children between birth and age 5 enrolled in the program. Eighty-three of our local children have graduated already!

Our founding sponsors who have helped us every year, Manchester District Library, The Men’s Club of Manchester, and C. A. Brown contracting LLC, are continued supporters of this program. But we can use your help also! If you would like to help keep this program going strong, you can donate directly online at https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com/ and choosing MIManchester from the drop-down menu that pops up when you check “I would like to designate this donation to a specific Imagination Library affiliate.“ You could also send a check made out to Manchester MI Dolly Parton Library to Shannon Brown, P.O. Box 145, Manchester MI 48158

One of the best parts of being the coordinator of our affiliate is all the love this program gets from our residents when I have asked for help. It warms my heart and makes me so proud to live in this little town.