Carlsbad families with young children can sign up to receive a free book mailed to their door each month through a new countywide partnership between Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and the Dr. Seuss Foundation.

The two organizations announced the program Friday, Sept. 4, less than two weeks after Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80 following a short battle with cancer. Parton's family has asked that memorial donations go to the Imagination Library.

The program will mail one free book each month to enrolled children from birth until their fifth birthday. With more than 170,000 children under 5, San Diego County is the most populous county in the nation to make the Imagination Library available to every eligible child, according to Patch. The countywide rollout is the largest launch in the nonprofit's 31-year history, FOX 5 San Diego reported.

"Beyond her passing this program will continue and that is our commitment," Chrissy Green, the Imagination Library's Southern California community engagement coordinator, told FOX 5 San Diego.

Parton founded the program in 1995 in her home state of Tennessee, honoring her father, who could not read or write. The Imagination Library has distributed more than 330 million free books to children since its founding. In a 2018 interview cited by FOX 5 San Diego, Parton called it "one of the most precious things" she had done in her life.

Katie Rast, CEO of the Dr. Seuss Foundation, said the organization is partnering with the Imagination Library to ensure every young child in the county develops a love of reading. The foundation supports early literacy efforts across San Diego County.

The effort is also backed by California Senate Bill 1183. The law, co-authored by then-Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, a San Diego Democrat, and Sen. Shannon Grove, a Bakersfield Republican, established a statewide Imagination Library program. State funding matches money raised in each community. Atkins also serves on the board of the Dollywood Foundation, which supports the Imagination Library.

The program expanded to California in 2023. More than 6,000 local families have already expressed interest in the San Diego County program, according to Patch.

No specific launch date has been confirmed. Carlsbad parents and caregivers who want to be notified when registration opens can visit imaginationlibrary.com, click "Check Availability," select San Diego County and enter their information.