In honor of cultural icon and literacy champion, the late Dolly Parton (Jan. 19, 1946–Aug. 25, 2026), Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has designated unique, librarian-recommended reading lists in its online catalog and Libby app.
Cuyahoga County Public Library now has Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) has a librarian-recommended reading lists in its online catalog and Libby app inspired by the .Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.Featuring recommendations by age, the CCPL collection is inspired by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) and will make it easier for families to access and enjoy more stories together, with titles similar to those selected for DPIL.

“The work of Cuyahoga County Public Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is closely aligned through our efforts to build strong early literacy habits,” says CCPL chief of public services Pam Jankowski, “encouraging joy and curiosity, and bringing families together through stories.”

Currently, all children born in Ohio are automatically eligible to enroll in DPIL, which is coa free book-gifting program that mails a new, age-appropriate book each month to children from birth until they turn five years old.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.Inspired by the books selected for DPIL, CCPL now offers a discoverable collection within its online catalog and the Libby app. To find the collection in Libby, enter your library card number, select Cuyahoga County Public Library and choose “Kids” in the CCPL catalog guide. Both physical and digital books are available at CCPL branches and through Libby.

The new collection is made up of books included in DPIL and can be found by age group, allowing CCPL to continue to honor Dolly Parton’s legacy by sharing librarian-recommended books that reflect similar interests and audiences.

The Imagination Library became such a success that a national effort was underway in 2000. By 2003, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library had mailed one million books — just the first of many millions of books sent to children around the world.

Parton’s home state of Tennessee pledged to pursue statewide coverage in 2004, and global expansion was soon on the horizon, with a program launched in Canada in 2006, followed by the United Kingdom in 2007, Australia in 2013 and the Republic of Ireland in 2019.

Cuyahoga County Public Library has 27 branches that serve 47 communities, with a mission to empower individuals and communities with opportunities for all to read, learn, create and connect.