Please join Roseburg Public Library staff for a celebration of the fifth anniversary of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in our community at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2.

That day, Youth Services Librarian Aurora Ropp will first present Storytime, which features stories, songs, fingerplays and movement rhymes perfect for children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers.

Following Storytime, the Friends of the Roseburg Public Library will take time to thank local foundations, organizations, businesses and individuals who have supported the Imagination Library program with their grants and donations. Light refreshments will be served.

Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that mails one new, free, age-appropriate book to registered children from birth to fifth birthday every month.

The Local Program Partner, Friends of the Roseburg Public Library, serves youth in the Glide, Idleyld Park, Roseburg, Wilbur and Winchester zip codes. Local Program Partners support youth in most of Douglas County and the state.

Since the Friends launched their program, 2,750 children have participated and 61,000 books have been mailed. About 1,500 children currently are registered.

Local partners and donors have covered program costs totaling $26 per child per year to fund Imagination Library. Since May, the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care has supported local partners with a 50% funding match. The rest is generated locally by champions of early literacy.

To support the local Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program, drop off cash or a check made out to Friends of the Roseburg Library at the library, 1409 NE Diamond Lake Blvd., or mail a donation to the Friends at P.O. Box 1921, Roseburg, OR 97470.

To register children for Imagination Library, visit www.imaginationlibrary.com, and click "Check Availability."