Ready. Set. READ! FAQs

  • General Questions

    Registration opens on the second Tuesday of each month at 12 p.m. (noon MT).
    Because spaces are limited by funded capacity, registration is firstcome, firstserved and will close once monthly spots are filled. 

    Families register directly through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library by following the stepbystep instructions on our website. EPL staff cannot register on behalf of families, and we do not provide a direct registration link. 

    Registration opens the second Tuesday of each month at noon MT and remains open until the month’s funded spots are filled.

    This updated monthly process was developed in partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to align with their program requirements and ensure a clear, consistent registration schedule. 

    The number of new registrations each month is based on available funded capacity.

    We understand it can be disappointing when registration fills fast. The program is very popular, and the number of new monthly spots is limited by donor funded capacity. 

    No, a library card is not required to apply to the program. However, EPL cards are FREE and let you borrow thousands of print and digital materials including books, movies, video games and more. To sign up online, visit epl.ca/FreeCard.

    After your registration is approved through Imagination Library, books typically begin arriving within 7–10 weeks. 

    This timing is the same for all families and does not depend on the exact day you register.

    You can preview the book list on the Imagination Library website. Titles may change based on availability. 

    No. Staff can guide you to the instructions, but families must complete the registration steps directly through Imagination Library.

    No. All eligible families have the same opportunity to register when the monthly period opens. EPL staff cannot reserve spots or register families.

    Yes. Families can register each eligible child separately during an open registration period. Each child receives their own age appropriate monthly book. 

    Children 54 months and under who live in eligible Edmonton postal code areas can register for the program. 

    If the registration system does not recognize your postal code, please email rsread@epl.ca for support. 

    After completing all steps in the Imagination Library system, you will receive a confirmation email from them directly. EPL is not able to verify or resend registration confirmations. 

    You will receive a confirmation email from Imagination Library once your registration is complete and approved. 

    No. The program does not have a waitlist. 

    Instead, registration opens every month. If spots fill before your family can register, you are welcome to try again the following month. We know this can be frustrating, and we appreciate your patience. 

    Children older than 54 months (4.5 years) are not eligible to begin the program. This age requirement is set by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and applies across all participating communities. 

    Yes! The more support this program receives, the more children we can reach. A gift of $60 allows a child to sign up to the program for one full year! Donate today, opens a new window.

    If your child didn’t receive a book, please contact us at RSRead@epl.ca or (780) 442-5329.

    If your child was accepted into the Ready. Set. READ! program, you will have access to a Parent Account on www.imaginationlibrary.com.

    With a Parent Account, you can:

    • See if their child is currently receiving books or not.
    • Edit their child’s mailing address.
    • See the contact information for the local affiliate partner (EPL).
    • See the titles mailed each month.

    Your username will be the same email address as on the application form (if provided). To get a password, you will need to request a new password using the New Password/Forgot Password link on www.imaginationlibrary.com.

    If your child is already enrolled in Ready. Set. READ!, you can update your mailing address at any time. This ensures books continue arriving at the correct location.

    If your new address is within an eligible Edmonton postal code area, your child will continue to receive free monthly books.

    To update your address through your Parent Account:

    1. Visit imaginationlibrary.com/bos
    2. Sign in using your email/username and password
    3. Open your child’s profile
    4. Scroll to the bottom and select Update Address
    5. Enter your new address and click Check Availability
    6. Select Confirm Address

    No. Children must be 54 months or younger at the time of registration to begin the program. Books begin arriving about 7–10 weeks after registration is approved. 

    Welcome Baby is EPL’s original book gifting program, which reaches all babies born in Edmonton.

    Ready. Set. READ! allow us to get even more books in children’s hands, starting in neighbourhoods where data indicates families need books the most.

    Yes. Thanks to generous community donors and EPL supporters, the books are free for families until your child turns five. Books are mailed directly to your home and are yours to keep. 

    Because the program is donor funded, the number of new monthly registrations is limited. 

    Operating since 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting organization that puts books into the hands of children across the world. They partner with local communities to provide a hand-selected, age-appropriate, high-quality book each month to registered children until age five.