Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Now in Sacramento
To say I’m passionate about reading would be quite an understatement. I have always been a voracious reader, and could be found with a book in my hand since I was a child. Still today, I can’t go anywhere without a book in my hand.
At one point, I was able to turn my love of reading into a career. I worked for the national nonprofit First Book for three and a half years. If you haven’t heard of First Book, they get books into the hands of kids in need. They do incredibly important work, ensuring kids from all backgrounds have access to books of their own to take home.
While at First Book, I learned there is a large population of children who do not own backpacks or school supplies. This is one of the reasons why I find it so important to help be a resource for Sacramento families, and I want to do my part to amplify free backpack giveaways for families who could utilize this resource.
Like backpacks, when it comes to book ownership, there are far too many kids who do not own books at home. I was able to see this impact first-hand at First Book. When kids learned they would be taking home a book to call their own, tears of happiness were shed. For some kids, it was the first and only book they had that was truly theirs.
Books have the power to allow kids to escape, to be a haven, to imagine, and to learn. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is also contributing to this impact, instilling an early love of reading in young children. Even more importantly, this program is providing crucial access to books. It’s now easier than ever for Sacramento families to get free books.
Children from all backgrounds throughout the Sacramento Area, 0-5 years old, can now receive free books every month. This is thanks to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the United Way California Capital Region, who helped make this program possible for all kids in Sacramento.
Free Books for Sacramento Kids
Babies and young kids ages 0-5 are eligible to receive free books through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Yes, starting from birth, children can be signed up to start receiving free books until they begin kindergarten at age 5.
High-quality, age-appropriate books are sent to kids each month. As a book aficionado, I can tell you that the book lists are highly impressive from reputable children’s authors like Richard Scarry and Eric Carle.
Age groups receive different books. For instance, my one-year-old and three-year-old receive different monthly books as they are different ages.
Who Can Sign Up?
Any child between the ages of 0 and 5 in Sacramento County can sign up to receive free books! There are no income requirements to participate. The program aims to foster a love of reading from an early age while preparing children for kindergarten.
How to Sign Up for the Imagination Library
Parents will need to register their children for the program through an online registration or paper sign-up form. If you have multiple children, you’ll need to register each child.
It’s simple to sign up, and I will walk you through the steps!
1. Go to the Sacramento County Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library web page
Note: You may need to enter your address under the menu item on the website that says, “Check Availability,” to navigate to the Sacramento County web page if the above link does not work.
2. Complete the agreements and parent information on the website
3. Submit the online registration!
Additional Registration Options:
If you’re not able to submit the registration online, there is also an option to submit it on paper. When I initially submitted the registration, mailing it was the only option. However, you can now submit the registration online, which is even more convenient.
Print the paper registration from the website
Tip: If you need a printer, you can use mobile printing through the Sacramento Library. It’s 0.15 cents to print one sheet of paper in black & white. I use this service frequently to print documents.
Complete the paper registration form and mail it to the following address:
Sacramento County Office of Education
PO Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826
After taking the above steps, you will receive an email indicating your registration is approved.
What Happens Next?
The first book will be mailed and received in 8-12 weeks once your registration is approved. Each child gets the classic, The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper, as their first book from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
Afterward, different books are sent in the mail each month up until the child’s fifth birthday.
My Personal Experience with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
When I first learned that this program was available, I was very eager to sign my kids up for it. I am adamant about passing down my love of reading to my kids, and so far, I have successfully done so with my oldest, who is also a bookworm like his mom.
A statewide initiative was announced that this program would eventually be available to all children in California. After learning this, I signed up for alerts when the program would become available in my area.
I was elated when I got the alert saying that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was now available in Sacramento. I immediately signed my kids up for the program. I took the above steps exactly as I laid them out around Memorial Day 2025. The books arrived around mid-July.
There’s just something special about walking to the mailbox with your child to get a brand-new book that’s waiting for them. We love to immediately sit down together and leaf through the pages of the new book they get to read over and over again at home.
As a Sacramento parent, I encourage you to take the steps to ensure your child receives free books. Seeing the smile on their faces when getting to spend time reading a new book with you will be worth it. Please reach out to me anytime, and I will happily guide you through the registration process.
