CITY OF FRESNO
___________________________________________ __________________________________________ JERRY P. DYER, Honorable Mayor TYLER MAXWELL, Council Vice President ____________________________________________ __________________________________________ NELSON ESPARZA, Council President ANNALISA PEREA, Councilmember, District 1
____________________________________________ __________________________________________ MIKE KARBASSI, Councilmember, District 2 MIGUEL ARIAS, Councilmember, District 3
____________________________________________ __________________________________________ BRANDON VANG, Councilmember, District 5 NICK RICHARDSON, Councilmember, District 6 Office of Council Vice President Tyler Maxwell
Fresno County’s Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
WHEREAS, the City of Fresno joins communities across the nation and around the world in mourning the passing of Dolly Parton, a beloved artist, philanthropist, and humanitarian whose extraordinary life and career were distinguished by her boundless generosity and unwavering commitment to uplifting communities and improving the lives of families; and
WHEREAS, in 1995, Dolly Parton founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in honor of her father and with the vision that every young child should have access to books and the opportunity to develop a lifelong love of reading; and
WHEREAS, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has grown into one of the world's largest book-gifting programs, providing free, age-appropriate books each month to millions of children from birth to age five regardless of income or background; and
WHEREAS, through the leadership of First 5 Fresno County and Councilmember Tyler Maxwell, and with funding provided by community partners, private businesses, community donors, and the State of California, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library launched in Fresno County in February 2025; and WHEREAS, the City of Fresno has furthered this shared commitment to children and literacy through its investment in the local Imagination Library program, expanding access to books and supporting school readiness for Fresno's youngest residents; and
WHEREAS, since itslaunch, the program has mailed more than 168,000 books to over 15,000 children throughout Fresno County, helping families build home libraries and making reading a more joyful and accessible experience during their children’s earliest years; and
WHEREAS, this remarkable local impact brings Dolly Parton’s founding vision to life in Fresno, where local investment and community partnership are helping families build traditions around reading and encouraging children to imagine and dream; and
WHEREAS, Dolly Parton will be remembered not only for her unforgettable presence but also for the communities uplifted by her generosity and the generations of children inspired to read, imagine, and dream because of her.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we, Mayor Jerry P. Dyer, and the Fresno City Council, encourage residents to carry forward Dolly Parton’s extraordinary legacy by reading with a child, supporting literacy efforts, and helping place the lifelong gifts of books, imagination, and opportunity into the hands of every child, and do hereby proclaim Friday, September 25, 2026, as:
“Dolly Parton Day”
in the City of Fresno
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and affixed the Great Seal of the City of Fresno, California, This 17th
day of September of the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.