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Millions of California children will receive free books thanks to Dolly Parton

Vivian Chow

A statewide expansion of a free book program was announced Tuesday, providing millions of children in California with free literature thanks to Dolly Parton.

The bill, SB 1183, was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in Oct. 2022 to provide funding for Parton’s “Imagination Library”, providing free books to children from birth to 5 years old.

The nationwide program is active across 30 counties in California, with the expansion to fully cover the state’s 58 counties and around 2.4 million eligible children by 2028.

Free books will be mailed directly to the child’s home at no cost to their family and regardless of household income.

Parents or legal guardians can register for the program online. Children will receive one free book per month until their 5th birthday. If a household has more than one child under 5 years old, each child can be registered to receive their own set of books.

California will be the first state to offer a fully bilingual English/Spanish book option under the Imagination Library program.

Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton reads her book “Coat of Many Colors,” to children as she makes it the 100 millionth book that Imagination Library donates to the Library of Congress collection at the Library of Congress, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Washington. The Library of Congress and Imagination Library also announce a story time for children on the last Friday of each month in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building from March through August. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
First Partner Siebel Newsom reads to students in the Sacramento area to launch the statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. (CA Governor’s Office)
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton reads her book “Coat of Many Colors” to children during an an event where her organization Imagination Library donates it as the 100 millionth book to the Library of Congress collection, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Washington. The Library of Congress and Imagination Library also announce a story time for children on the last Friday of each month in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building from March through August. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Singer-songwriter Dolly Parton speaks at an event where her organization, Imagination Library, donates the 100 millionth book, Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors,” to the Library of Congress collection, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018 in Washington. The Library of Congress and Imagination Library also announce a story time for children on the last Friday of each month in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building from March through August. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

With aims to encourage preschool children to develop an early love of reading and learning, the bill received bipartisan support in both houses.

“I’m so thrilled at the overwhelming support to make my Imagination Library available to every child in California!” said Parton. “Today is an amazing milestone for children and families across the state! We still have a lot of work to do, but together we can inspire a love of reading in children across California that will last a lifetime.”

“Dolly Parton unites us through her music — and through her commitment to helping all kids develop a love for reading,” said Gov. Newsom. “With this statewide expansion of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, California is on track to put more free books in children’s hands than any other state in the nation — broadening millions of young minds to a world of unlimited possibilities.”

Founded in 1995, the Imagination Library began in Parton’s childhood hometown in Tennessee. Since the state of Tennessee adopted the program, it’s expanded across all 50 states and five countries, donating over 200 million books.