The biggest dreams begin with books in the hands & homes of children.

Palmetto Project is the nonprofit affiliate and partner for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in six (6) counties across South Carolina.

Every month, we deliver a free Imagination Library book to 15,000+ children from birth to five (5) years-old in Barnwell, Charleston/Begin With Books, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Spartanburg Counties.

With your support, we hope to reopen Richland County in Fall 2026!

Every child enrolled in DPIL through Palmetto Project receives one colorful, developmentally-appropriate book delivered to their mailbox to keep forever and build their in-home libraries (until their 5th birthday). 

Story time is magical. But the books don’t arrive by magic.

DPIL is built on partnership. The Dollywood Foundation manages the remarkable infrastructure behind the program. Local partners like Palmetto Project make the program possible by raising the funds needed to pay for the  books & postage to deliver them to enrolled children. Our generous community members like Spartanburg Academic Movement/Movement 2030, the Beyond our Gates Foundation, Lipscomb Family Foundation, AFLAC, and many other foundations and local corporations, civic groups, & individuals like you make it possible for us to partner with the Imagination Library!

How the Imagination Library Works

Every month, children enrolled in DPIL through Palmetto Project receive the magic of story time. A specially selected, age-appropriate book is addressed to them and delivered directly to their mailbox.

Through Palmetto Project, children in seven South Carolina counties (Barnwell, Charleston, Kershaw, Lexington, Orangeburg, & Spartanburg . . . and hopefully returning to Richland in Fall 2026 with YOUR support) can participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Your Gift Helps Put the Next Book in the Mail!

When you give to Palmetto Project you are helping put actual books into the hands and homes of South Carolina’s children.

• One book becomes a bedtime story.
• Twelve books become a year of reading together.
• And a child enrolled from birth to age five can build a personal library of up to 60 books.

The books may be free to families, but it takes a community to make that possible.

Help us keep the books coming.

Where we deliver Story Time

Your gifts will help us continue building in-home libraries for children and providing the magic of story time!

You may specify which of our six (6) counties you would like to support. 

YOUR GIFT can help us reopen in Richland County! Give here to help us reopen Richland County. 

• Story time exposes children to nearly 300,000 more words by kindergarten and makes learning new subjects easier in the future.
• Story time forges bonds and forms positive memories between young children and their caregivers, which strengthens children’s resilience.
• Story time is a special time.