September 25, 2026 will officially be known as Dolly Parton Day in Ohio, and DCDL libraries will be honoring Dolly’s legacy all week with storytimes, photo opportunities, and – of course – registrations for her free, international book-gifting program, the Imagination Library.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel signed an official proclamation making September 25, 2026 Dolly Parton Day in Ohio. Why September 25? Well, it’s 9/25, or 9 to 5, of course. Dolly’s Day commemorates her 1980 hit song and movie of the same name, “9 to 5.”

The proclamation recognizes Dolly’s incredible story and rise to fame from humble beginnings in East Tennessee to one of the most beloved and influential entertainers in the world. However, it primarily focuses on Dolly’s generosity and the creation of the Imagination Library in 1995. This program mails more than 3 million books every month to children aged 0-5 around the world – including more than 432,000 books to Ohio children!

Local programs had run Dolly’s Imagination Library for many years, including one in Delaware County. In 2019, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio was established so that every Ohio child up to age 5 would be eligible to receive a free, high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail every month. Since its establishment, more than 1 million Ohio children have participated in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, and currently 65 percent of kids ages 0-5 in Ohio are enrolled!

The Delaware County District Library is happy to take our involvement with Dolly Parton Day one step further, expanding our involvement to the full week of September 21 – 26. Delaware Library will have a system-wide celebration of Dolly Parton and her connection to children and literacy, with Imagination Library-focused storytimes, Imagination Library registration support, and passive activities happening all week.

Passive crafts will include a community art activity to create a “Coat of Many Colors,” where visitors will decorate pieces that will be added to one large coat, Imagination Library book giveaways, coloring pages, trivia, photo opportunities, and more.

We hope that you’ll “tumble out of bed” and “stumble to the” library to see how you can get your young readers enrolled in the free program and continue Dolly’s legacy of literacy building in Delaware County. Learn more at www.ohioimaginationlibrary.org.

Need even more Dolly in your life? Check out these resources:

“The Library That Dolly Built: Celebrating the People Who Made Dolly’s Dream Come True.” A feature-length documentary focusing on the history, impact and future of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a global book gifting program. With guest narrator, actress and author, Danica McKellar and the music of Dolly Parton.

“June.” Delightful, never-before-seen archival material reveals June Carter Cash’s firecracker wit and charisma as a performer, and some of country music’s greatest speak to her talent and character, including Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, and Emmylou Harris.

From cookbooks to picture books to biographies, read all the books that Dolly had a hand in writing.

See the books that kids are receiving from the Imagination Library this year.