More than 14,000 San Mateo County children receive a free book every month through Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. On Friday, Sept. 25, the county's libraries will celebrate California's first Dolly Parton Day with storytimes, butterfly crafts and a fundraiser for the program.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 931 on Sunday, Sept. 20, establishing Sept. 25 as Dolly Parton Day statewide. The date, written as 9-2-5, honors Parton's beloved song "9 to 5." Sens. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, co-authored the bill.

Parton, who died Aug. 25, 2026, at age 80, sold more than 100 million records and scored 25 No. 1 country hits, the most by any female country artist, according to the governor's office. But her literacy work may be her most lasting mark. She started the Imagination Library after watching her own father struggle to read, and the program has distributed more than 300 million books to children worldwide.

In San Mateo County, the Imagination Library mails a free book each month to enrolled children from birth to age 5. The Foundation for San Mateo County Libraries and local Friends of the Library chapters fund the effort alongside the library system itself. A $32 donation covers one child for a full year, and the state matches every dollar, according to the Foundation's fundraising page.

The Sept. 25 events across multiple library branches include special storytimes, butterfly crafts and Dolly-inspired nail art, according to the library system's blog. Specific times and locations were not listed online as of Wednesday, Sept. 23. Residents can check the full schedule on the library system's website or call (833) 937-7625.

The day doubles as "Give Like Dolly Day," a push to raise money so the Imagination Library can reach more of the county's youngest residents. The Foundation's goal is to serve every child ages 0 to 5 in San Mateo County, an estimated 40,000 children, compared with the roughly 14,000 currently enrolled, according to the Foundation's fundraising page.

Sen. Laird said when the bill was signed Sept. 20 that Parton's "legacy goes well beyond her music." He added: "Through the Imagination Library, she put books into the hands of millions of children."

San Mateo County Libraries is also recruiting volunteer Adult Literacy Tutors. The program pairs a learner with a tutor for weekly sessions. Details are available on the library system's website.