Dolly Parton's library program expands to San Francisco: free books if you're under 5

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Dolly Parton performs on the Pyramid Stage during Day 3 of the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm on June 29, 2014 in Glastonbury, England. (Credit: Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

SAN FRANCISCO - Dolly Parton's mission to get free books in the hands of kids around the world is expanding in the Bay Area. Children can sign up for her free Imagination Library, which provides kids in San Francisco, under the age of five, with a free book mailed directly to their home every month.

Reading for early education

What we know:

Parton's global program was announced on Friday by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.

Ingrid Mezquita, executive director of the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood said the program that's been around for decades was introduced on a small "block-by-block" scale in San Francisco, but that they're now ready to take it citywide with help from the San Francisco Public Library.

"All families need to do is sign up either at the main library, they can go to our website or they can just google Imagination Library San Francisco," Mezquita said.

Mezquita explained funding for the program is made possible through California's main public library system. "We have matching funds, so they have been able to generously match our funding in San Francisco to be able to expand it to every child in the city," she said.

Every San Francisco child from that age group is eligible. That's about 36,000 children across the city. According to the program's website, more than three million children are registered with this program.

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library coming to San Francisco

Dolly Parton's mission to get free books in the hands of kids around the world is expanding in the Bay Area. Children can sign up for her free Imagination Library, which provides kids in San Francisco, under the age of five, with a free book mailed directly to their home every month.

Importance of Early literacy

"The impact that we see already in San Francisco is that early literacy starts from pre-natal to five. We see children's ability to enter kindergarten at a much (higher) readiness rate," said Mezquita. "What we're hoping is that when we get the books to children from the very, very beginning, it really promotes that love of learning, that love of books, that connection to your public library and families get to have that bonding time with their children."

We know that for this age group, play is important, but reading ranks high up there as well.

Mezquita said 40 counties across the state are already participating in the program through First 5 programs or their main library system or both, as is the case in San Francisco.

She stressed that when you receive the book in the mail that it will have your child's name on it, which is very exciting for them.

Diversity and Inclusiveness

The books and program are availabe in English and Spanish.

On the website, there is a quote by Parton, known best for her songwriting and performance prowess as a country superstar and philanthropist, that talks about growing up in the hills of East Tennessee and knowing her dreams would come true. "I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer," Parton's quote reads.

She founded the program in Tennessee in 1995.

This program is up and running in San Francisco. For more information you can go to imaginationlibrary.com

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