{"id":219483,"date":"2026-03-14T10:50:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T10:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/219483\/"},"modified":"2026-03-14T10:50:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T10:50:45","slug":"california-librarian-grilled-about-dolly-parton-book-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/219483\/","title":{"rendered":"California librarian grilled about Dolly Parton book program"},"content":{"rendered":"

California legislators have grilled the state\u2019s top librarian about huge sums of money tied to a statewide literacy program linked to country music legend Dolly Parton<\/a> that are missing. <\/p>\n

And it\u2019s the kids who may suffer<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Greg Lucas, the state\u2019s top librarian, has been accused of failing to account for almost $650,000 related to Dolly Parton\u2019s Imagination Library during, a literacy initiative meant to deliver free books to young children across the state.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have receipts requested six times. You don\u2019t have bank statements requested six times from this committee,\u201d Republican State Sen. Shannon Grove said during a budget hearing on education.<\/p>\n

State Sen. Shannon Grove is demanding answers on missing money related to Dolly Parton\u2019s Imagination Library. AP<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have documents to show where that money was spent.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s the money?\u201d<\/p>\n

State officials created a nonprofit and allowed the new organization\u2019s executive director \u2014 who also ran a Sacramento consulting firm \u2014 to pay that firm at least $208,652, according to committee records.<\/p>\n

In 2022, Grove, a Republican from Bakersfield who has also called for stricter controls on criminal diversion programs<\/a>, authored legislation with then-Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins to launch a statewide version of the program through the California State Library.<\/p>\n

Gov. Gavin Newsom later signed the bill into law, approving $68.2 million in state funding to cover half the cost of books through a dollar-for-dollar match with local partners. <\/p>\n

Lawmakers allowed up to 10% \u2014 about $6.8 million \u2014 for administrative costs and set a goal of enrolling roughly 65% of eligible California children within five years. <\/p>\n

The funds remain available through June 30, 2028.<\/p>\n

Dolly Parton launched a donation program to match public funds to instill a love for learning in children.<\/p>\n

But the program stalled for nearly two years after funding was approved.<\/p>\n

Instead of sending money directly to the national program, the California State Library entered into a $19.2 million contract in August 2024 with a nonprofit called the Strong Reader Partnership. <\/p>\n

Corporate filings listed a deputy state librarian as the nonprofit\u2019s agent for service of process and used addresses associated with the State Library.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit received $4.8 million from the state, according to legislative documents.<\/p>\n

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Financial records reviewed by Senate staff show that about $4 million of those funds were moved into a money market account that generated roughly $132,000 in interest.<\/p>\n

The nonprofit reported about $1.2 million in total spending, but bank statements only documented roughly $555,871 in expenses, leaving about $649,000 that lawmakers say has not been fully backed up with receipts or invoices.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t show that even the money that was allocated for $5,000 \u2026 where any resources were used to reach the kids that want to foster a love for reading,\u201d Grove said during Thursday\u2019s hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat makes no sense and that reeks of horrific no transparency and potential fraud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Greg Lucas, the state\u2019s librarian, struck a defensive posture on missing funds related to the reading program. AP<\/p>\n

Legislative staff said they requested additional documentation from the State Library six times between November 2025 and February 2026 but had not received the records as of late February.<\/p>\n

Lucas, California\u2019s state librarian since 2014, defended the agency\u2019s actions during the hearing.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I\u2019ve said before, and I\u2019ll say it again, we\u2019ve pledged to get you the answers that you want,\u201d Lucas told Grove. \u201cWe\u2019ve requested them over and over again.\u201d<\/p>\n

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He added, \u201cSo now we have a deadline of a week, and we\u2019ll get them to you by then.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Strong Reader Partnership nonprofit was shuttered in September, according to Politico<\/a>. <\/p>\n

State officials said roughly $36.9 million in unspent funds were returned to the state in December 2025, along with about $3.86 million recovered from the nonprofit.<\/p>\n

Still, lawmakers say major questions remain about how some of the nonprofit\u2019s money was spent \u2014 and why the State Library created and funded the organization in the first place.<\/p>\n

Lucas is expected to return to the Legislature next week with additional answers and financial records lawmakers say they have been requesting for months.<\/p>\n

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