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The following zip codes outside the city of Pittsburgh are currently eligible to receive Dolly Parton's Imagination Library: 15025 15034 15035 15045 15104 15110 15112 15120 15122 15130 15131 15132 15133 15134 15135 15136 15137 15140 15145 15148 15204 15218 15221 15227 15235

Reading Ready Pittsburgh partners with childcare programs and community organizations to offer literacy programs to foster a love of reading with Pittsburgh's youngest readers. Reading Ready Pittsburgh supporting families to foster a love of reading To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Reading Ready Pittsburgh believes in the power of family book sharing to ensure all children are ready to thrive in school. By increasing access to books and encouraging significant family engagement, we work to guarantee that all families have the tools and resources they need to support their children. All children deserve full book shelves. More than 326,000 books given away to date! What We Do B is f or Books Free C hildren's B o okst o re ParentPowered Raising a Reader Community Outreach Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Little Giveaway Libraries Deon's Story Deon, a former professional football player turned early literacy advocate, shares his story about learning how to read as an adult so he could be a part of his daughter's own journey of reading. Our Recent News Penguin Day at the Bookstore Tons of fun this last Saturday for our penguin day! Lottie the penguin was just as curious and excited as all the children present who got to learn all about how rangers use their expertise to protect penguins. Thanks for coming out, friends. 1/8 DPIL Campaign Kickoff We had a special kickoff for the “Imagine Free Books for All Children” project, a campaign for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library expansion in the City of Pittsburgh today at Phillips Rec Center in Carrick. Our Executive Director, Mary Denison, spoke as well as Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor; First Lady Katie O'Connor; councilman Bobby Wilson; Kathy Buechel, Executive Director of The Benter Foundation; Lauren Wirt, regional director of the Dollywood Foundation; and Keya Lowry, one of Reading Ready Pittsburgh’s board members and the mother of a former Imagination Library enrollee. Together we can ensure that EVERY Pittsburgh child has the opportunity to grow up surrounded by books. If you have children under the age of 5, make sure they’re enrolled in DPIL. If you don’t have children yourself, talk about the program with your family, with your friends, with your coworkers, with your neighbors, and even with the person behind you in line at the grocery store. 1/9 Blue Bag Events 2026 BLUE. BAG. CELEBRATIONS. We've had so many this year! If you are unfamiliar, our blue bag events are for when our kids graduate out of the Raising a Reader program in their pre-K. They get signed up for a library card, have a little party, and receive a blue bag for all their future library trips and checked out books. 1/6 B is for Bikes Day B is for Bikes was a tremendous success! Thank you big time to the 70 plus folks who came out through the day! Lots of smiles and free books and free BikePGH giveaways. Hoping to this event again next year but even bigger! 1/5 Fairytale Storytime Once upon a time... that is, this past Saturday, April 11, we had our fairytale storytime and just look at these super cute photos! Many thanks to all the families who came through to hear some stories, explore our space, and participate in our planned activities. We hope you had a blast, and -- if these pictures are any indication -- it looks like y'all did. Hope to see everyone again real soon! 1/7 Music Storytime with You Be You Music We had nearly 40 kids come by on the 21st to see Georgia English of You Be You Music do her musical storytime. Many songs were sung, snacks were eaten, and crafts were ... crafted! Thank you all for coming out to support both her and us! 1/3 Kelly Starling Lyons Visit Award winner children's author Kelly Starling Lyons came to B is for Books and hosted two storytimes on February 28. It was awesome! We get phenomenal authors in here a lot, but we've never had someone so famous before. Plenty of families came by to hear her read and get their free, new books autographed by her. Afterward, the kids got to participate in a bread kneading activity to connect with Lyons' book My Hands Tell a Story . 1/7 Educator Night Over 25 educators came to B is for Books on February 18 for educator night. The evening featured PQAS credit and lots of free books given away. Rebecca Chrystal of Raising a Reader (our rotating bookbag program) was the guest speaker and lectured on how to engage families through diverse books. Can't wait to do it again sometime! 1/6

Summer Reading Programs Read with Me! Families enjoy an 7 week book giveaway program to share the love of reading with their child! Every book given is brand new. Reading Ready Pittsburgh coordinates with childcare centers, home visitors, and home daycares to provide age appropriate books. With each book, a customized parent tip sheet is provided to aid family engagement around reading. This program is exclusive only to Raising a Reader implementers at this time. Want to learn more about Raising a Reader? Click here. 1/3 Free School Age Book Fairs Reading Ready Pittsburgh brings a variety of new picture, beginner readers, and chapter books to summer camp programs in the Mon Valley. Interested in a Reading Ready Pittsburgh book fair? Send her an email at hannahz@readingreadypittsburgh.org . 1/5

Education Opportunities Reading Ready Pittsburgh promotes extracurricular learning opportunities for families and Early Childhood professionals. These programs provide literacy strategies that can be used in both the home and classroom. Check out the sections below for more information and topics. For Professionals Reading Ready Pittsburgh offers professional development opportunities for educators. Our experienced staff can lead workshops several times a year at B is for Books, local childcares, or social support agencies. Educators can take advantage of PQAS and Act 48 credits through these workshops. Below is a list of what we currently offer. Reading Ready Pittsburgh currently can offer these professional workshops: Emergent Reading: An Overview of Core Literacy Skills for Early Learners Nursery Rhymes: Using Mother Goose in Early Childhood Classrooms Raising a Reader Implementer Workshops Using Books to Support Social Emotional Learning Family Engagement: Promoting Shared Reading Brain Architecture and Early Childhood Educators Planning Engaging Storytimes Interested in a topic not listed here? Let us know! We can tailor our trainings and maybe even work to make a new one! For Families Reading Ready Pittsburgh also offers family workshops to encourage engagement around literacy for young children. Throughout the year family workshops are offered at our free bookstore for children, B is for Books. At this time, we can offer the workshops listed below. Are you a teacher or professional looking for literacy workshops for your families? Sites can schedule Reading Ready Pittsburgh staff to lead a parent workshop on site. Reading Ready Pittsburgh currently can offer these family workshops: Importance of Reading to Young Children Promoting Shared Reading by Asking Good Questions Making Literacy Connections Using Books to Support Social Emotional Learning at Home Brain Architectur e Balancing Screens for Young Children Contact Megan at megan@readingreadypittsburgh.org to learn more or schedule a professional development session or parent workshop.

Get free children's books sent to your home every month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and Reading Ready Pittsburgh! Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (Haga clic aquí para español) Imagine free books for all children Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available in the Pittsburgh region. Through this program, each child in your home under the age of five can receive one free, high-quality, age-appropriate book each month from birth to their fifth birthday. The program is available to all City of Pittsburgh residents, as well as those living in 20 additional zip codes outside the city, with more communities being added over time. CITY OF PITTSBURGH REGISTER HERE Not sure if you live within city limits? Check here! NON-PITTSBURGH REGISTER HERE To see if you qualify outside of city limits, click here! By enrolling in this program, you can: • Build your at-home library • Grow a love for reading • Inspire your child’s imagination • Can you even imagine anything better? What is Dolly Parton's Imagination Library? Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income. By enrolling, a new, carefully selected book will be addressed to your child and mailed directly to your home each month. The first book is always the classic children’s tale, The Little Engine That Could. Who is eligible? Children under the age of five living within an eligible zip code. After determining your region, click the "register here" button above to find out if you're eligible! What are my responsibilities? Your role in all of this is super simple: Submit an official registration form, completely filled out by the authorized adult. Notify Reading Ready Pittsburgh any time your address changes. Read with your child and have fun! When can I expect to receive books? Eight to ten weeks after your registration form has been received, books will begin arriving at your home one a month. You will continue to receive one book per month until your child turns five or you move out of the covered area. WE'RE ON TRACK FOR OUR GOAL! We are on a mission to boost children enrolled in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Our goal is to sign up 9,100 eligible children within city of Pittsburgh limits, which represents 65% of total enrollment. We are getting closer! Help us reach our goal by telling everyone you know about this amazing program. CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN PGH CITY LIMITS 4,900 CLICK TO DOWNLOAD Need enrollment resources? Click the button below for flyers and sign up sheets! DPIL by the Numbers as of August 4, 2026 PITTSBURGH ENROLLMENT 4,900 OUTSIDE PGH ENROLLMENT 4,308 TOTAL BOOKS MAILED 924,270

Community Partners ClairtonPublic Library Clairton City School District Woodland Hills Impact Center Family Care Connections Phila nthropic Support The Cahouet Foundation Trust Drue and H. J. Heinz II Charitable Trust First Presbyterian Church of Duquesne Howard & Nell E. Miller Foundation W I Patterson Charitable Fund Earl Knudsen Charitable Foundation A. J. and Sigismunda Palumbo Charitable Trust

Donate Explore this page to find out how to support Reading Ready Pittsburgh $40 supports one child for one year of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (DPIL) $125 enables us to purchase a new initial Raising a Reader bookbag for one child and family $300 covers brand new book giveaways and other resources for our free events at B is for Books $3,000 buys new Raising a Reader materials for an entire preschool classroom—a gift that will serve them for years to come. Every contribution makes an enormous difference to us. Thanks to donors like you, Reading Ready Pittsburgh can help hundreds of families develop, practice, and sustain home literacy habits to ensure all children thrive. Click here to to Reading Ready Pittsburgh's operational funds Click here to donate to the Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Campaign Donations made by check should be payable to Reading Ready Pittsburgh and mailed to: Reading Ready Pittsburgh PO Box 81111 Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Support Reading Ready Pittsburgh through your workplace giving program. Our United Way Contributor Choice Program code is 19907484. Click Here to Donate Books Reading Ready Pittsburgh will gladly take your new and gently loved children's books to give away in our bookstore! It doesn't matter if it's one book or one thousand books, we will take them as long as they are in good conditio n; not offensive in their language or depictions of people and cultures; and geared towards kids birth to 18. Questions about donating? Click here to email Kathy! You can also shop from our wish lists! Baby Preschool Start a Book Drive We go through a lot of books here at Reading Ready Pittsburgh, so if you'd like to organize a book drive for us please email our librarian, Kathy, at the email address below. kathy@readingreadypittsburgh.org Thank you for supporting Pittsburgh's youngest readers!

B is for Books is Reading Ready Pittsburgh free bookstore for children. B is for Books A Free Bookstore for Children Reading Ready Pittsburgh operates an absolutely, 100% free bookstore for children and their families. The idea is simple: we believe that every child and their family should have easy access to high quality reading material with as few barriers as possible. This bookstore also doubles as a resource for early childhood educators. If you are an educator in need of a fresh set of books for your classroom and are able to pick them up from our bookstore location, you may request them below. 1/9 What Happens Here? Some things to do around the store if you are... An educator Meet with our librarian to choose the right books for your classroom Learn about our circle and story time events Ask us about professional development opportunities A caregiver Take home three free books to add to your family library Read a book in our nook with your little one Ask the staff about our early literacy programs A kid Take a look around the store, the games, and the nook Grab three books to take home and keep Read in the nook or play with the games Some other things we're doing around the store that you should know about: Literacy events at least once a month, a storytime every Saturday at 11:30 am, parent workshops, and even school field trips! B is for Books can now be reserved as a party space as well! Call 412-444-2994 or complete the inquiry form here for more information. Keep up to date on our social media to stay in the know! Donation Policy Reading Ready Pittsburgh will gladly take your new and gently used children's books to give away in our bookstore! It doesn't matter if it 's one book or one thousand books, we wi ll take them as long as they are in acceptable condition; not offensive in their language o r depictions of people or cultures; and geared towards kids birth to 18. Please click here to start the donation process. Questio ns about donating? Click here to email Kathy! Request Books If you are an educator or organization that works with children (e.g. social worker, doctor, community center), you may request a variety of gently loved books spanning all ages and genres from the store. You must make arrangements to pick them up from our storefront at 222 East 8th Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120. Click here to fill out the form , and our librarian will be in contact with you shortly. Please note that these books are from the store itself and may vary depending on what we currently have in stock. Location and Hours 222 East 8th Avenue Homestead, PA 15120 Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Saturday: 9 am - 3 pm 12 pm - 3 pm 9 am - 6 pm 9 am - 3 pm 10 am - 2 pm

Our Team 1/2 Mary Denison, PhD - Executive Director mary@readingreadypittsburgh.org Mary Denison is a retired school psychologist. She has worked in that capacity with school-age children with learning and developmental problems for over 30 years. Mary initially taught Special Education for children with learning and behavioral challenges. After graduating with her doctorate in School Psychology she worked at Shaler Area School District and at PACE School. In 1995 she began working at The Day School at The Children's Institute. Mary worked for 22 years developing an expertise in working with children with autism and genetic and neurological disorders. After retiring from The Day School, Mary founded Reading Ready Pittsburgh to help build a love of reading in families of small children throughout the Pittsburgh area. Mary has 3 children who are all grown. She is an avid reader and enjoys sharing her love of books with others. 1/2 Megan Chips - Program Director megan@readingreadypittsburgh.org Megan is excited to be a part of the Reading Ready Pittsburgh team as Program Director. After graduating from Duquesne University as a psychology major, Megan quickly realized working with young children was her true calling. She received her Master’s degree from Carlow University in Elementary Education and for over twelve years worked in various early childhood programs. Megan holds Pennsylvania teaching certificates in both early childhood and elementary education. Prior to joining the RRP team, Megan worked for AIU Head Start for seven years as a teacher, supervisor and administrator. Megan believes inspiring children with a desire for reading is key for them to succeed in early grades as it shapes and forms their attitudes through graduation and beyond. Kathy Koltas - Librarian/Project Manager 1/2 kathy@readingreadypittsburgh.org Kathy has been a Children’s Librarian in the Pittsburgh area for over 25 years. Her passion for bringing books to children, especially those who may not have them in their homes, began as a volunteer with the former Beginning with Books early literacy organization. Through her work there, she saw how children need access to books in order to grow and develop into readers, leading to greater success in school. She returned to school to get her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh and has since worked in various public and school capacities while raising five children. Despite loving her work, Kathy had always wanted to get back to working with a nonprofit that focused on getting books into the hands of all children and served not only the children but the caregivers and teachers as well. She is committed to bringing high quality, inclusive literature into all homes so every child can experience the joy of reading she has always felt and to which she has devoted her life to sharing. 1/2 Mark Sepe - Outreach Coordinator mark@readingreadypittsburgh.org Mark is a certified K-12 Reading Specialist and 7-12 English teacher. Before joining Reading Ready Pittsburgh he worked at Montessori Elementary School and was the Literacy Coordinator + Reading Specialist at the Neighborhood Learning Alliance. Reading and literacy are two of his biggest passions, and he is excited to be part of an organization putting those same passions at the front and center of their mission. When he's not coordinating with local organizations and communities, you can find him putzing around his garden, fermenting some thing or another, or playing baseball. 1/2 Stefanie Wielkopolan - Program Coordinator stefanie@readingreadypittsburgh.org Stefanie is a local educator and writer who has had the privilege of working with students, ages 2-82, for over 15 years. She holds teaching certifications in secondary English and elementary Montessori education. She loves being surrounded by books and holds an M.F.A. in Poetry from Chatham University. Stefanie is grateful to be back in the non-profit sector, helping children gain access to books and is excited to work for Reading Ready Pittsburgh as a program coordinator. During her time off, you might find Stefanie hanging with family and friends, reading, taking a hike with her husband, or singing ridiculous songs to family pets. 1/2 Hannah Zibert - Program Coordinator hannahz@readingreadypittsburgh.org Hannah has enjoyed working with children in ages ranging from 3 months to 15 years in sports, special needs camps, high schools, daycares, and one-on-ones for the past 14 years. She studied English Literature at Allegheny College and then received her Master’s in the Arts of Teaching English 7 -12 at the University of Pittsburgh so that she could share her love of reading with everyone. She happily stumbled into Early Childhood Education and became a Lead Teacher for six years at The Children’s Center of Pittsburgh where she found her passion for educating the youngest of children and fostering the love of reading in young people. Hannah is so excited to continue her journey with Reading Ready Pittsburgh and support their mission as their Program Coordinator. In her spare time, Hannah enjoys reading, quilting, hiking with her big, fluffy dogs, and supporting her local rugby club. 1/2 Pam Calfo - DPIL Program Coordinator pam@readingreadypittsburgh.org Pam is excited to join the Reading Ready team after working in public libraries for the past 13 years. While working in public libraries, she learned about providing equitable service and eliminating barriers to access and is ready to continue this work as the DPIL coordinator. Pam has experience in collection development in libraries, ordering books and other library service materials for all ages of the library collection. She received her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and prior to that studied Journalism at Elon University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter at different museums in the cities, playgrounds or watching sports. 1/2 Sophia Garbos - Bookstore Associate sophia@readingreadypittsburgh.org After having her daughter at the end of 2022, Sophia shifted out of the food service industry and into the non-profit sector, realizing the importance of early literacy to success in her own as well as her daughter’s life. She studied Anthropology at Antioch College, and earned a Master of Arts in Food Studies from Chatham University. As a relatively new mom herself, she loves working with infants and toddlers and helping caregivers to build confidence in their reading skills. When she’s not shelving books, she can be found reading Stephen King books, hiking with her daughter and dog, and cooking vegan food.

Community Engagement and Outreach Reading Ready Pittsburgh loves to work directly and creatively in our local communities. Our organization is often tabling at a variety of community events and at partner's events . We also work with the family centers and pediatricians around the Mon Valley and provide them books and resources of all kinds like early literacy posters, stickers with helpful hints for parents, and literature highlighting the importance of early literacy. Click here to reach out to Mark if you'd like any items listed below or if you are interested in partnering with Reading Ready Pittsburgh in our community efforts! Executive Director Mary Denison tabling at a Beverly's Babies Community Shower Specific Projects 1/8 Family Reading Poster Campaign Much like the "Read" and "Got Milk?" public service announcement campaigns of the 1990's, Reading Ready Pittsburgh's poster project delivers a powerful message in simple language. Each of the 20 posters feature a photo of a local family reading to or with their child(ren) alongside a simple yet impactful message about literacy at the bottom. These posters are hung in areas where children and families might be: classrooms, libraries, pediatrician offices, and more. Feel free to request a couple if you know of a good place to hang one! Diaper Bank Baby Wipe Stickers Any time a parent or caregiver interacts with their child is a great time to talk, sing, and play. RRP has an ongoing partnership with Mon Valley Family Center diaper banks to put colorful tips and reminders for parents on baby wipes that are distributed alongside the diapers. 7 5 8 7 1/8 1/6 Read, Play, Learn Spaces There are many spaces in our community where families do passive errands or spend time waiting that are great places to add a reading nook. Reading Ready Pittsburgh has added RPL spaces to the Clairton laundromat, Clairton Inn apartment complex, Millvue Acres housing complex, the Latino Family Community Center, Duquesne Family Center, and even our bookstore! We hope to transform spaces in salons and barbershops, municipal buildings, and other similar areas. Let us know if you know somewhere that could benefit from a reading nook! Books for Family Health Care Centers and Pediatricians Reading Ready Pittsburgh supplies nearly a dozen community health clinics, family health providers, and pediatrician offices with free copies of Read to Your Bunny . Each time a new family with young children visit the office for a check-up or other service they get to walk away with a copy of Rosemary Wells' charming little book. From Scholastic: "This gem of a book celebrates reading through an intimate story and vibrant, bunny-filled pictures. [It] is an invitation for parents and children to read together every day. This picture book promises: Read to your bunny often, and your bunny will read to you."

Birthday Book Gifting Our Birthday Book Gifting program allows participating sites to gift each child in their childcare program an age appropriate, high quality book on their birthday. Birthday Book Gifting brings joy to children on their birthday and provides families quality books for their home library. How you can help: Purchase your favorite book(s) and send them to Reading Ready Pittsburgh. We'll wrap and deliver them fo r you! Questions? Email Ka thy Buy Local from these Pittsburgh Book Sellers: Send to: Reading Ready Pittsburgh Birthday Book Gifting Program 222 East 8th Avenue Homestead, PA 15120 Baby Preschool You can also shop from our wish lists!

Little Giveaway Libraries Reading Ready Pittsburgh builds, fills, and maintains 14 little giveaway libraries in the Mon Valley. All families are invited to take books from the little giveaway libraries to add to their home collection and read with their children regularly . Children waiting to use a new little library in Millvue Acres Little Giveaway Library in the COG building in Homestead. Little Giveaway Library in the Amity Harvest Community Garden. Thank you! All the gently used books placed in our Little Giveaway Libraries are donated from many generous local families as well as elementary schools and partner organizations. Want to build a library or have one installed? Email Mark at mark@readingreadypittsburgh.org to get the process started! Amity Community Garden 7th and Amity Street Homestead, PA 15210 Steel Valley COG Building 1705 Maple Street Homestead, PA 15120 Angel’s Place Woodstock and S Braddock Ave Swissvale, PA 15218 Carnegie Library of Homestead 510 E 10th Ave Munhall, PA 15120 Carl’s Red Door Store 337 5t h Ave Rankin, PA 15104 Clairton Family Center 734 Miller Ave Clairton, PA 15025 House of Soul Catering 203 Whitaker St Munhall, PA 15120 Free Store 15104 420 Braddock Ave Braddock, PA 15104 Munhall 3510 Main Street Munhall, PA 15120 Mon View Heights 1 Midway Drive West Mifflin, PA 15122 Salvation Army - Steel Valley Corps 104 E 9th Ave Homestead, PA 15120 Dragon's Den 1008 Amity Street Homestead, PA 15120 The Youth Department Children of Israel 329 9th St McKeesport, PA 15132 Millvue Acres 100 Marion Circle Clairton, PA 15025 Americorps volunteers freshen up a library Jim, a volunteer, helps install a library he built A brand new library waits to be opened by local children