UWLES is the local program affiliate serving children ages birth to 5 living in Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.
If your child lives in another county or state, click here to see if there is an affiliate offering the program in your area (and if there is not, you can opt in for alerts when it's offered)
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Ireland.
Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write, Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts over 2 million free books each month to children around the world. Since becoming an Imagination Library affiliate in 2012, UWLES has provided over 485,000 books to over 18,000 local children! Currently over 6,900 babies and children on the Lower Eastern Shore are receiving a free book each month.
In early 2023, UWLES and TidalHealth launched the SmartStart program to support parents of babies born at TidalHealth facilities. As part of the program, families welcoming a new baby can automatically enroll their child in Imagination Library. Participating families receive a welcome pack with a book and early learning tips. This expansion of Imagination Library is supported by generous grants from the Richard A. Henson Foundation, the Donnie Williams Foundation, PNC Grow Up Great and other supporters.
To register your child for the program, please click the registration button below, or download a form and mail to 803 N. Salisbury Blvd., Suite 2100, Salisbury, MD 21801. Please note it can take approximately 8 weeks from date of enrollment for the first book to be delivered. Books are delivered monthly up until the child's fifth birthday month. If you relocate, please contact UWLES to provide a change of address as soon as possible to avoid service interruption. Thank you!
Imagination Library is Funded by
With the generous support of:
